A fresh left thigh injury in training and comments from general manager Thiago Scuro have confirmed that the project with the former World Cup winner has failed. The club and the player are negotiating an early termination of his two-year contract.
Paul Pogba is one step away from an early departure from Monaco, the club that just a year ago gave him a chance for a fresh start after a turbulent period. According to BBC sources, the two parties are already in talks over a contract termination, with a final agreement expected shortly.
Club general manager Thiago Scuro did not hide his disappointment at a recent press conference. "The truth is that the project (with Pogba) did not work well last season. When we started it, expectations were very different. Will he probably leave? Yes, of course," Scuro said.
The return to the pitch for the former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder has turned into a series of disappointments. The latest blow came on Tuesday when Pogba suffered a left thigh injury during training at St George's Park. According to L'Equipe, he collapsed in pain during a small-sided training game and was scheduled for an MRI scan that same afternoon to determine the severity of the injury.
This is just the latest in a string of problems that have marked his time in Ligue 1. During the preseason period, which Monaco considered crucial for assessing his physical fitness, Pogba played only 45 minutes in a friendly against Saint-Priest on July 18, 2026, which Monaco won 5-2. After that, he missed four matches due to a right knee issue and only returned to full training last Friday, hoping to finally complete his comeback.
Pogba's career in recent years has been marked by time away from the pitch. In August 2023, a doping control sample tested positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), leading to a four-year suspension in February 2024. The footballer claimed he did not intentionally break the rules and that he had taken a supplement without knowing it contained a banned substance.
In March 2025, the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced his ban to 18 months, allowing him to return to professional football. Monaco gave him an opportunity last summer by signing him to a two-year contract, but the planned comeback never materialized. Now, after the club informed the player he is free to seek a new environment, both sides are working toward a financial settlement. According to unofficial reports, Pogba's weekly wage was less than £44,000.
An additional factor in the whole story is the change on the bench. Filipe Luis has succeeded Sebastien Pocognoli, and the new coach reportedly wants to build the team in a different direction, which means less room for the experienced midfielder. He has reportedly been offered to MLS clubs, but the question remains whether he will even try to find a new club or decide to end his career.
Pogba himself spoke of great motivation upon arriving at Monaco. "We went through hell. A time of darkness. But this is my second chance, I have to take it," he said at the time to Daily Mail Sport. Unfortunately, that second chance is now at the exit door, and the 2018 World Cup winner finds himself at another major crossroads in his life.
