Paul Pogba 'agrees two-year deal with Champions League club' as former Man United star nears return to football after 18-month doping ban

Paul Pogba has taken a major step towards securing his return to professional football by agreeing to a two-year deal with a new club, a report has claimed.

The former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder was handed a four-year doping ban after returning an adverse drugs test, however that suspension was later slashed to just 18 months.

In the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s final judgement it was confirmed that Pogba did inadvertently take DHEA, a substance that boosts testosterone that is on WADA's banned list. The ruling stated however that DHEA only has an effect on females.

However, after his ban officially ended earlier this year, he has been linked to a return to the game this summer, and according to French outlet Le Parisien, he has agreed a deal with Monaco.

The report claims that he took 'significant financial sacrifices' in order to pen terms with the Ligue 1 side, in order to secure his return.

The two parties are thought to have been in discussions for several days before at last agreeing to the financials on Sunday.

Former Manchester United star Paul Pogba is reportedly set to sign for Monaco

The French midfielder has been without a club since 2024 after being handed an 18-month doping ban in 2023

French icon Pogba is set to sign for Monaco who will be in next season's Champions League

The report also adds that the player traveled to the Principality earlier in June to meet with chiefs at the club and had begun the process of planning out his life and the logisitics of a move, including details such as a new driver, where he would live, and what sort of security he would put in place.

Though he has not actually played a game since September 2023, he has at least been sharing progress of his training regime on social media in order to reignite his football career.

Joining Monaco would see Pogba return to club football's greatest competition, too, in the Champions League, after the Ligue 1 side finished third in the league behind Marseille and champions PSG.

Despite representing France 91 times and winning the World Cup with Les Bleus in 2018, he has never actually played in the country's top-flight.

Having come through the ranks at Manchester United, he joined Juventus before a then-record return to Old Trafford in 2016. From United, he once again joined Juventus on a free transfer in 2022.

Over the weekend, Pogba was pictured training with Man United stars Leny Yoro (left) and Kobbie Mainoo

Earlier this week, the former Man United star was pictured taking in taking in a pre-season training session with a number of youngsters from his old club.

Pogba was snapped with Leny Yoro, who joined the club last summer from Ligue 1 side Lille, and Carrington starlet Kobbie Mainoo.

The trio are thought to be training in Florida, with Pogba sporting a vintage Juventus kit to go through his work-out.

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