Paul Pogba tipped for shock transfer to reunite with Man Utd team-mate and ex-Premier League boss after drug ban appeal
PAUL POGBA is wanted by Marseille ahead of his post-drug ban comeback, according to reports.
French news outlets are claiming that the Ligue 1 club are in advanced talks over the signing.
Pogba, who remains on the books of Juventus, is likely to have his contract mutually terminated so he can become a free agent.
He is then seemingly set to join Marseille in January, with his ban preventing him from playing until March.
The club are managed by ex-Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi and his former Manchester United team-mate Mason Greenwood is in the squad.
Neal Maupay and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg are also on loan there from Everton and Tottenham respectively.
Pogba was initially banned from football for four years after testing positive for banned substance DHEA in August 2023.
The 31-year-old Frenchman has always pleaded his innocence and appealed the decision.
Two weeks ago, the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced his ban to 18 months.
They cut his suspension because Pogba was able to prove he took the substance linked to testosterone growth by accident.
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Responding to the reduced ban, Pogba said: “Finally, the nightmare is over. I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again.
“I always stated that I never knowingly breached Anti-Doping regulations, I play with integrity and I want to thank the Court of Arbitration who heard my explanation.
“This has been a hugely distressing pediod in my life because everything I’ve worked so hard has been put on hold.
“Thank you for all the love and support. I can’t wait to get back on the pitch.”
What is DHEA?
PAUL POGBA tested positive for elevated levels of DHEA, a hormone that naturally occurs in the adrenal gland, in August 2023.
DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, can be used to naturally boost testosterone production. It does not produce testosterone itself.
It is on the world anti-doping banned substances list and carries a maximum of four years if the athlete took it deliberately to enhance their performance.
DHEA can legally be sold over-the-counter in the US as a dietary product, known as prasterone.
It is also taken as an anti-ageing therapy, and to treat depression and the symptoms of menopause, although there is little evidence to suggest it is effective, and it can cause serious side effects.
In 2022, UFC fighter Bobby Green received a six-month ban after testing positive for a DHEA.
Green said he had not realised that DHEA was banned after seeing a video on YouTube, and took the supplement after his wife bought it from a supermarket.