Paul Pogba at Inter Miami ahead of long-awaited return

The Frenchman’s 18-month doping ban ends in March. He has been linked with an MLS move or even a shock Manchester United return.

French World Cup winner Paul Pogba has been hailed as one of the most talented players of his generation but the 31-year-old finds himself needing to kick-start his career as he prepares to return to the game.

Pogba has made only 12 club appearances since leaving Manchester United in 2022. His return to Juventus that summer was affected by injury and in September 2023 he was suspended for failing a drug test after being found to have taken “non-endogenous testosterone metabolites”.

His 18-month ban ends in March, meaning that he can finally return to the field. But currently without a club, Pogba has been linked with a variety of landing spots, including a move to MLS.

On Saturday Pogba was in attendance to watch Inter Miami draw 2-2 with New York City FC in their season opener. Pogba owns property in Miami and has been linked with a move to the US for some time. A shock return to Manchester United has also been mooted, although it seems unlikely that head coach Ruben Amorim would been keen to bring in a player of Pogba’s languid style.

Are Inter Miami saving a spot for Paul Pogba?

The prospect of another big-name star arriving from Europe may seem far-fetched but Inter Miami have shown real ambition with their transfer dealings in recent years. The strict MLS spending rules make it difficult for club’s to acquire several vaunted internationals but Miami may actually have been saving a spot for another star.

Of the four ex-Barcelona players, only Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets are Designated Players i.e. those not included in the salary cap. The departure of forward Leonardo Campana during the offseason means that the Herons have one more spot available for a high earner.

They would, in theory, be able to register Pogba but they would still need to find the cash to cover his high wage demands. As a frequent visitor to Miami, Pogba would likely be drawn to the Herons but there could well be other interest in his signature. The Athletic reported last year that several MLS teams have placed Pogba on their Discovery List, giving them priority to negotiate with the French World Cup winner.