TURIN, Italy (AFP)— The future of Paul Pogba at Juventus appears increasingly uncertain after club sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli confirmed that the team is complete ahead of the midfielder’s anticipated return from a doping suspension.
Pogba, who had his original four-year ban reduced to 18 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport just weeks ago, is eligible to return to competitive action in March. However, Giuntoli’s recent statements suggest that the 31-year-old may not have a place in the squad moving forward.
“Our stance is quite clear. Paul has been a remarkable player, but his time away from the pitch has been significant,” Giuntoli stated in an interview with DAZN prior to Juventus’s home match against Lazio. “In the past two seasons, we’ve had to invest in new talent, and our current roster is now full.”
In a recent, unofficial interview with Gazzetta Dello Sport, Pogba expressed his desire to remain with the club, even if it means accepting a significant reduction in salary. Since his provisional suspension began in September of last year, he has been earning a meager salary of just over 2,000 euros ($2,166) per month, a stark contrast to his previous earnings.
His current contract, which runs until June 2026, reportedly guarantees him a salary of eight million euros annually, along with potential bonuses that could add another two million euros.
Reports from the Italian media indicate that Juventus may be looking to part ways with Pogba as they reconfigure the squad under new head coach Thiago Motta. Following a tumultuous season that saw the club record losses approaching 200 million euros, Juventus entered their match against Lazio in fourth place in Serie A, trailing league leaders Napoli by three points.
