The 32-year-old, whose illustrious career includes spells at Manchester United and Juventus, joined Monaco on a two-year deal last summer with the aim of reigniting a career interrupted by injuries and a doping ban. However, a left calf injury sustained in training has kept him sidelined for over a month, limiting him to just 30 minutes of play since his Monaco debut in late November.
“The program and the plan for Paul is not working the way we expected in the beginning,” Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro said on Wednesday. “He is very disturbed by the fact that he is struggling … (he wants) to be more available, to increase the minutes on the pitch.”
Pogba’s emotional connection to Monaco was evident when he wept upon signing his contract, but the club has struggled this season and currently sits ninth in Ligue 1, 17 points behind leaders Lens.
Scuro indicated that while the club is committed to helping Pogba return to action, contractual clauses could allow for a shorter stint at Monaco if things do not improve. “If it does not work, for sure the parties can sit down in the summer and try to have another discussion, where do we go?” he said.
Pogba’s career has been marked by highs and lows. In 2016, he became the world’s most expensive footballer at the time when he returned to Manchester United from Juventus for €105 million ($116 million). Internationally, he has earned 91 caps for France, scoring 11 goals, and played a pivotal role in France’s 2018 World Cup triumph, including a goal in the 4-2 final victory over Croatia.
Yet injuries have repeatedly hampered him. A knee problem forced him out of the 2022 World Cup, and a doping controversy in February 2024 led to an initial four-year ban by Italy’s anti-doping authorities. That ban was later reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in October 2024.
As Pogba battles to return to full fitness, questions remain over whether he can make an impact at Monaco—and whether he will have the chance to add another World Cup appearance to his storied career.