Marseille remains interested in signing Paul Pogba, but his doping ban and recovery concerns have delayed the move.
Paul Pogba’s future now hangs in the balance despite Marseille president Pablo Longoria's assurance that he will be signed when the time is right.
Paul Pogba had been on the radar for Marseille and was expected to be signed in the winter transfer window but that did not happen.
The move raised a lot of eyebrows since the French professional football club chose not to sign the former Manchester United midfielder.
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However, following the move from Marseille boss, Paul Pogba remains a free agent, with Longoria further explaining the reason behind the move to snub Pogba for now.
“We had conversations and we had this opportunity because the player had come onto the market,” Pablo Longoria said as quoted by the Daily Mail.
“However, we decided not to do it this season because we thought that his recovery time could upset the balance of the squad. And that would raise expectations. We felt that it would be counterproductive.”
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However, his explanation is vague since the French football regulations are clear on signing a player after the winter transfer window, noting that the player cannot be allowed to play that season.
Pablo Longoria has remained confident that Paul Pogba remains a target for Marseille but will not be able to play for the club until the start of next season.
Paul Pogba drug ban
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The former Juventus star was slapped with a four-year ban after testing positive for a banned substance in August 2023. He was banned for taking DHEA, a testosterone-enhancing supplement.
His four-year ban was confirmed in February 2025 but he had been earlier provisionally suspended by the Italian anti-doping tribunal (NADO Italia) in September of 2023.
However, Paul Pogba and his team appealed and the Court of Arbitration for Sport and his ban was reduced to 18 months, making him eligible to play at the start of March.
He has not played a competitive match since September 2023 and is now looking for a strong comeback, despite not having found a club to settle in.