Paul Pogba, the French midfielder and former player for Manchester United, has officially had his contract terminated by Italian giants Juventus.
The 31-year-old’s contract will be valid until November 30th, at which point he will be allowed to find a new team as a free agent.
The midfielder’s career has been marred by injuries, criticism of form, and most notably, a four-year doping ban in February 2024 after he tested positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a banned substance. Pogba successfully appealed and reduced the ban to 18 months in October 2024, allowing him to return to the football pitch as soon as March 2025.
“The club wishes Paul the very best for his professional future,” said Juventus in a brief online statement.
The decision for Juventus to part ways was perhaps not a shocking one. Club manager Thiago Motta, upon hearing the news of Pogba’s ban reduction, said: “The club will evaluate the situation and make a decision if necessary.” Not exactly an enthusiastic response to the news.
Juventus, who have already experienced financial difficulties by incurring a loss of 200 million euros in the 2023/24 season, were spending a hefty 8 million euros per year on Pogba’s contract. The player only managed 12 matches and scored 0 goals before his suspension.
“My time at Juventus has come to an end,” said Pogba in a social media statement.
“Even in the most difficult moments over the past year, your support was crucial and I want to thank Juve fans around the world for their compassion,” he said
“I am looking forward to the next chapter of my career and to stepping out on the pitch with my next club.”
Pogba previously played for Juventus from 2012-2016, where he won four league titles and finished runner-up in the UEFA Champions League in 2015. After a less-than-ideal stint at Manchester United, he returned to Turin where he was contracted until 2026. His final match for the club was September 3rd, 2023 against Empoli.
