MONACO (AP) — Monaco has parted ways with midfielder Paul Pogba after the former France star’s stay was hampered by injuries.
Pogba signed a two-year-deal last year in order to relaunch a career derailed by injuries and a doping ban. But injury problems persisted and the 2018 World Cup winner made only a handful of substitute appearances last season.
“Acknowledging that the objectives initially set have been only partially met, Monaco and Paul Pogba have decided, prior to the first match of the new season, to terminate the contract that bound them until June 2027,” eight-time French champion Monaco said in a statement.
Pogba struggled for fitness in preseason and recently picked up another injury.
“Monaco is an exceptional club,” the 33-year-old Pogba said. “Even though I didn’t play as many matches as I had hoped, I will always be grateful for the opportunity.”
Monaco finished seventh in Ligue 1 last season.
At his peak, Pogba scored in the 2018 World Cup final when France beat Croatia 4-2. He played 91 games for France, scoring 11 times.
Two years earlier, he became the then-most expensive soccer player in history when he returned to Manchester United from Juventus for a fee of 105 million euros ($116 million).
The biggest blow to his career came in February 2024 when he was initially banned for four years by Italy’s anti-doping court after he tested positive for testosterone while at Juventus. In October 2024, the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced his ban to 18 months. ___
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