Recently, Pogba had his four-year doping ban reduced to 18 months following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, allowing the World Cup-winning midfielder to resume his career in March 2025.
Juventus has shown limited interest in his return, yet Pogba insists that it is the only club he envisions playing for. In an interview with the Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport, he stated, “I am prepared to sacrifice money to play for Juve again. My desire is to return.”
Juventus' sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli and new head coach Thiago Motta are skeptical about Pogba's ability to perform at a high level after such a lengthy absence due to his positive testosterone test last August.
Despite this, the 31-year-old Pogba, who described feeling like a "caged lion" over the past year, has been diligently training on his own and is eager to demonstrate his capabilities.
“I am a Juve player now. That is my sole focus,” he remarked. “I don’t need to speak; my performance on the pitch will communicate my intentions, and then Thiago Motta can assess me based on what he observes.”
While Pogba is eager to return, Juventus has undergone significant changes since his suspension, including a coaching change and a shift in strategy.
The club has welcomed new talents, particularly those emerging from its youth academy, while parting ways with several high-profile veterans, including Federico Chiesa, Wojciech Szczęsny, Alex Sandro, and Adrien Rabiot.
Pogba, who made headlines as the most expensive soccer player in history when he transferred from Juventus to Manchester United for 105 million euros ($113 million) in 2016, returned to the Bianconeri as a free agent in 2022.
He entered into a contract valued at eight million euros ($8.7 million) annually, along with an additional two million euros ($2.2 million) in bonuses. However, injuries restricted him to only eight Serie A appearances during his second tenure at the club prior to his suspension.
The judges who reduced Pogba’s ban recognized the absence of intent but indicated that the 2018 World Cup champion should have exercised greater caution regarding his treatment in Florida.
“I made a mistake by not paying closer attention to what a professional provided me. I emphasize, a professional,” Pogba stated. “Like many soccer players, I have a chef, a trainer, and a personal physiotherapist.
“It’s not simply about better understanding the instructions; a professional outside the club had supplied it to me. However, I assure you I will not repeat that mistake.”
In Pogba's absence, Juventus has performed relatively well.
The Bianconeri secured a third-place finish last season, despite what the club described as a rebuilding phase following off-field challenges.
This season, Juventus remains the only unbeaten team in Serie A after seven matches and is just three points behind early leader Napoli as they prepare for this weekend’s home match against Lazio.
“Not everything depends on me, but also on Juve’s plans and how I train,” said Pogba, who also issued a warning to his doubters.
“I will be a new Pogba: Hungrier, wiser and stronger.”