Ex-Juventus icon Paul Pogba, whose contract with the Turin titans was terminated last November, may be back in business soon.
The 32-year-old opted for the glitz and glamor of Monaco in June to resurrect his career following a doping ban.
Despite signing a two-year deal, he has yet to make his long-awaited debut in the French top tier. With Adi Hütter, sacked by Monaco, a new head coach could choose to unleash the silky skills of Pogba.
Hütter, who steered his side to third place in the league last term, was expected to make Monaco Ligue 1 contenders. Yet they have stuttered along this term, winning just one of their past five matches.
However, they still have a shot at being crowned league champions for the first time since 2016/17 as they lie just three points off table-topping Paris Saint-Germain.
Four-time Serie A winner at Juventus
The former World Cup winner with France, who had two spells with Juventus where he won four Serie A titles, has never competed in the Ligue 1.
He kicked off his career in the youth team at Ligue 2 outfit Le Havre in 2007 before being snapped up by Manchester United and rejoined the Italian giants.
His second stint at Juventus was hampered by injuries and ended in a doping ban with an unceremonious exit.
Pogba was hit with a four-year suspension in February 2024, which was reduced to 18 months on appeal, after he tested positive for the banned substance DHEA following Juve's 3-0 win at Udinese in August 2023.
He began training independently in the United States, and was expected to sign for an MLS team. After turning down a highly lucrative deal to compete in the Saudi Pro League, Pogba picked the riches of tax-free Monaco lured by Champions League soccer.
Pogba, who has not played a competitive match since September 2023, has yet to make his Monaco debut. His ultimate goal is to make an impact for his latest club in order to be selected for international duty at the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals.
Pogba yet to make AS Monaco debut
Hütter didn’t give Pogba any minutes in the victories over Auxerre, Le Havre, Metz and Strasbourg, the draws against Manchester City and OGC Nice or the defeats to Club Brugge, Lorient and LOSC Lille.
Yet Pogba has recently been giving encouragement and instructions to the young players in the Monaco dressing room.
A new manager could prove advantageous for Pogba, with the former Juventus legend potentially tackling Tottenham Hotspur in the Champions League on 22 October if he recovers from his thigh strain setback.
Pogba has an impressive record for Manchester United against Spurs, having been on the winning side in six of his nine matches.
Monaco will entertain Juventus in the Champions League at their Stade Louis II Stadium on 28 January, by which time Pogba could be a regular starter for his moneybags team.