Transfer Market: Paul Pogba at a Crossroads

What had been billed as the year of the comeback has actually yielded very little: Paul Pogba, eight years after playing a starring role in a World Cup victory, had envisioned a season of complete resurgence, but his year at Monaco—marked, among other things, by his now chronic physical problems—amounted to just six appearances, one of which was as a starter, for a total of 115 minutes. The Principality club had bet on him but must now acknowledge a disastrous season from this perspective.

General Manager Thiago Scuro, who spoke about Pogba in the past tense during a press conference alongside new head coach Filipe Luis, effectively sealed what now appears to be the end of his time at the club: “We have great respect for Paul as a person; his attitude has been commendable, and he has helped the young players. The truth, however, is that the project with him didn’t work out as we had hoped.”

Given these circumstances, combined with Monaco’s need to drastically cut its payroll (the Frenchman’s salary is among the highest), Pogba’s future certainly does not seem tied to the red-and-white club’s fortunes, even though, despite everything, the former Juventus player will participate in summer training camp. He will be evaluated week by week, with a focus on his physical and technical progress, and the final decision will rest with Filipe Luis.

At nearly 34 years old, with his physical condition compromised, finding another top-level opportunity in Europe appears complicated. At the moment, there are no concrete offers, but viable options lie outside the continent, particularly in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. If none of these options materialize, an even more drastic outcome cannot be ruled out, although Pogba himself has not yet even hinted at the possibility of retirement.