Paul Pogba's exile from football could end with DC United in discussions to bring the former Manchester United player to the MLS following the end of his doping ban
Paul Pogba has held talks with DC United about potentially joining the MLS outfit. The Frenchman is looking for a new club following a prolonged period out of the game following a ban for doping.
Pogba was on Juventus' books when he returned a positive test and has been without a club since serving his ban. Despite spending his entire career in Europe, the former Manchester United star is entertaining the prospect of playing in the United States.
It has been 20 months since Pogba last played competitively but the MLS outfit appear keen on landing his services, reports the Washington Post. DC United owns Pogba’s MLS discovery rights which prevents other teams in the league from negotiating with him.
Wayne Rooney previously led the team during a brief stint and, should Pogba put pen to paper on a deal, he would end up facing Inter Miami and Lionel Messi given that they are conference rivals.
A return to football in the United States has long been discussed for the Frenchman, who has been spotted at several MLS stadiums throughout the year.
Pogba's career has seen him play for United and Juventus twice. He first made his name in Manchester before opting against signing a new deal as a youngster and heading to Italy in pursuit of regular game time. There his stock massively rose and caught the eye of those at Old Trafford.
They spent a club-record fee to bring him back in 2016 when Jose Mourinho was at the helm, but throughout his second stint he was regularly criticised and ended up leaving for nothing when his contract expired. At that point, he chose to head back to Italy with Juventus.
While struggling on occasion at club level, Pogba was regularly influential on the international stage. With Les Bleus he won the World Cup in 2018, but that remains one of the only trophies he's won in recent years. His last club honour came back in 2017 in Manchester.
The midfielder has underlined his desire to return to the France setup, telling Sky Sports : "I hope. It is in my mind for sure. I have to be ready for that. There are players who deserve to play and I have to win my place back. I am ready to fight."