Paul Pogba reportedly faces major career setback after injury-hit AS Monaco return
Paul Pogba emerged as one of the most closely watched players of the 2025-26 season, with AS Monaco banking on the midfielder to revive his professional career. Instead, persistent injury issues have become a major concern for both club and player, with Pogba now reportedly facing another significant setback.
In February 2024, Pogba was banned after testing positive for non-endogenous testosterone metabolites (DHEA), initially receiving a four-year suspension that was later reduced to 18 months. After the ban was lifted in early 2025, links to Inter Miami and D.C. United surfaced, but no MLS club pursued a move for a player lacking match fitness.
During the 2025 summer transfer window, Monaco approached Pogba with a two-year deal running through 2027, signaling confidence in his ability to return to the top level. That return has failed to materialize, with the midfielder logging just 30 minutes across three appearances this season.
A lack of fitness early in the campaign, followed by ankle, hamstring, and left calf injuries, has sidelined Pogba for 24 matches. Monaco CEO Thiago Scuro addressed the situation two weeks ago, saying, “The program and the plan for Paul is not working the way we expected in the beginning. He is very disturbed by the fact that he is struggling… (he wants) to be more available, to increase the minutes on the pitch.“
AS Monaco reportedly considering getting rid of Pogba
According to La Gazzetta dello Sport, AS Monaco are exploring options to part ways with Paul Pogba. His return has fallen well short of expectations, and with only 30 minutes played all season, the club is reportedly open to moving on.
As reported by Capology, a site specializing in soccer finances, Pogba is currently Monaco’s fourth-highest-paid player, behind Denis Zakaria, Aleksandr Golovin, and Takumi Minamino. With a reported gross salary of $5.7 million per year and Monaco sitting 10th in Ligue 1, offloading Pogba could provide meaningful financial relief.
Pogba had already battled injuries in the years leading up to his suspension, managing just 10 appearances for Juventus during the 2022-23 season. Those issues have persisted in Monaco, prompting Scuro to leave his future open: “If it does not work, for sure the parties can sit down in the summer and try to have another discussion.”
With several months remaining in the 2025-26 season, Monaco remain hopeful of seeing Pogba return. “Where do we go? It’s not the moment to have this discussion because we are engaged on trying to find the solution and bring him back,” Scuro said, but without a dramatic turnaround, Pogba’s time at the club may be nearing its end ahead of the 2026–27 campaign.