Paul Pogba return verdict with former Man Utd midfielder free agent

Paul Pogba will not be heading back to Manchester United this month despite speculation linking him with a sensational Old Trafford return, it has been claimed.

The 32-year-old Frenchman recently became a free agent after his Juventus contract was mutually terminated in November following an 18-month doping ban.

Pogba initially faced a four-year suspension after testing positive for DHEA - a substance that increases testosterone levels - in August 2023 but appealed successfully to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), who reduced it last October. The World Cup winner returned to training in January and became eligible to play competitive football again on March 11.

Since then, Pogba has been heavily linked with a third stint at United - where he remains their record signing having joined for £89million from Juventus in 2016 - with the Red Devils struggling this season under Ruben Amorim, sitting 14th in the Premier League table.

His former United team-mate Louis Saha even backed a reunion earlier this month, telling Bet365: "He knows the club, he’s a leader, he can play in different positions and he’ll push players around him to perform."

However, Dwight Yorke has now explained why he thinks a move back to Manchester isn’t set to happen - while outlining two alternative options for Pogba. Speaking to Express Sport, via Crypto Casino LTD, Yorke believes United are going in a different direction under Amorim and INEOS chief Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

"I don’t think Manchester United will go down that road at the moment because of where they’re trying to go with INEOS and Amorim," Yorke said. "They’re trying to build something completely different and I think that ship has sailed with Paul going back to United now they’re trying to reconstruct that midfield."

Pogba has been training in Miami ahead of his return to competitive action (Image: Instagram/paulpogba)

Yorke continued: "Paul’s options are going to be limited at this moment in time because of what’s happened over the last 18 months or so - he’s not played competitive football for such a long time.

"I think the MLS could be a good option for him to get himself back into the groove because it’s not as intense as European football. That might be a good stepping stone for him to get back to the levels that we know he can achieve.

"I still think he’s got the quality - it’s just whether his body can still do what his mind wants it to do after such a long lay-off. Another option could be Saudi Arabia because of the finances involved there and the competitiveness might not be as strong as in Europe either."

Yorke added: "It’s going to be a challenge wherever he goes because he’s been out for so long but I still think he’s a fantastic player and I wish him well whatever he decides to do next."

Pogba has been pictured stateside training in Miami over the past few months and was recently spotted at an LAFC game against Austin in the MLS on his 32nd birthday last Saturday.

That has fuelled speculation over a potential move to the United States - although Yorke believes he’d need to take a pay cut from his £8m-a-year wages he earned at Juventus given MLS salary cap rules.

It remains to be seen where Pogba ends up but Yorke is convinced a third spell at United is off the table as Amorim looks to the future with younger talent. The Red Devils are back in action this Sunday when they travel to Brighton in the Premier League (2pm).