Paul Pogba ‘agrees two-year deal to join Monaco after 18-month doping ban’

Paul Pogba has secured his return to professional football by agreeing to a two-year deal with French club, Monaco after his 18-month doping ban. 

The former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder was handed a four-year doping ban after returning an adverse drug test, however, that suspension was later slashed to just 18 months. 

In the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s final judgement, it was confirmed that Pogba did inadvertently take DHEA, a substance that boosts testosterone, which is on WADA’s banned list. The ruling stated, however, that DHEA only has an effect on females.

The ban officially ended earlier this year, and he has been linked to a return to the game this summer.

According to French outlet Le Parisien, Pogba has agreed to a deal with Monaco. 

The report claims that he took ‘significant financial sacrifices’ in order to pen terms with the Ligue 1 side, in order to secure his return. 

The two parties are thought to have been in discussions for several days before at last agreeing to the financials on Sunday. 

The report also adds that the player traveled to the principality earlier in June to meet with chiefs at the club and had begun the process of planning out his life and the logistics of a move, including details such as a new driver, where he would live, and what sort of security he would put in place. 

Joining Monaco would also see Pogba return to club football’s greatest competition, the Champions League, after the Ligue 1 side finished third in the league behind Marseille and champions PSG.