Paul Pogba was finally due to play again in the colors of AS Monaco this month, after more than a year and a half of absence. But the 2018 world champion once again sees his return delayed. The French midfielder, who hoped to make his debut against Angers, suffered a physical problem in training. This setback extends an endless series, marked by injuries, suspension and frustration.
Pogba still slowed down: Monaco reviews its plans
According to Nice-Matin, Pogba suffers from a slight contracture in his right thigh, contracted during a session at the start of the week. Nothing serious, assures the medical staff, but enough to postpone his reintegration into the professional group. His return, initially set for October 18, should now take place at the end of October, or even the beginning of November, time to consolidate his recovery.
This postponement is experienced as a blow to the player, who has not played a single official match since September 2023. Suspended eighteen months for doping before signing for Monaco this summer, Pogba hoped to take advantage of this new stage to relaunch his career and, why not, attract the attention of Didier Deschamps again with a view to the 2026 World Cup.
New postponement for the return of Paul Pogba
An even more unstable context at ASM
As if that wasn't enough, the former Manchester United player will have to make his debut under a new manager. Adi Hütter, the coach who campaigned for his arrival, was thanked this week by the Monegasque management. The future technician will therefore have the difficult task of integrating Pogba into a collective in full reconstruction.
At 32, the French midfielder has no time to lose. The objective is now clear: find the rhythm again, add more minutes and prove that he can still exist in a high-level squad.
A prolonged wait, but no worries
The Monegasque staff wants to be reassuring and evokes a simple muscular setback, unrelated to the old knee injuries which plagued his career. “There is nothing alarming, he will be back soon”confided a source close to the club.
For Pogba, the main thing remains to find continuity, in a stable framework and under the pressure of a public who impatiently await it. After two years of silence, Monaco finally hopes to see the emergence of the 2025 version of Pogba. That of a vengeful player, determined to once again become the leader he once was.
