Paul Pogba Monaco exit is confirmed after one season, with injuries limiting the former World Cup winner to six Ligue 1 appearances

Former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba and AS Monaco have agreed to end their partnership after one season, the French club confirmed on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, following an injury-hit return that limited the 33-year-old to six Ligue 1 appearances.

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Pogba joined Monaco in June 2025 on a contract that was originally due to run until June 2027, hoping to rebuild his career after an 18-month doping suspension and an extended absence from competitive football.

The exit brings a frustrating chapter to an early end, with the France international unable to establish the consistent run of matches Monaco had hoped for when they signed him.

Monaco said the objectives set when Pogba joined had been “only partially achieved” and that both parties had agreed to end the contract.

Pogba’s physical difficulties were a major factor. He is currently sidelined with a thigh injury after recently dealing with a knee problem, adding to a succession of fitness setbacks since his return to professional football.

Despite the limited playing time, Monaco paid tribute to Pogba’s attitude and influence within the squad.

The club praised his “remarkable mindset, determination and unwavering high standards”, adding that he continued to contribute to the group by sharing his experience and knowledge with younger players even while injured.

Pogba also expressed gratitude towards Monaco and the people around the club.

He acknowledged that he had not “played as many matches” as he had hoped, before thanking the president, management, teammates, staff and supporters who had backed him during his time in the Principality.

His Monaco spell ultimately produced only six Ligue 1 appearances and 115 minutes of league football.

The lack of regular football is a stark contrast to the career Pogba built before his recent difficulties.

He made 233 appearances across two spells at Manchester United and enjoyed a highly successful period at Juventus, where he won four Serie A titles and was named Serie A Player of the Year.

Pogba was also a key member of the France side that won the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

He played all seven matches during France’s victorious campaign and scored in the final against Croatia.

His career took a dramatic turn in 2023 when he tested positive for testosterone while playing for Juventus.

Pogba maintained that the prohibited substance had come from a food supplement prescribed by a doctor in the United States.

He was initially handed a four-year suspension, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced the ban to 18 months following an appeal. That decision allowed Pogba to resume his career earlier than originally expected.

Monaco represented an ambitious attempt to revive his career at the highest level.

He joined the club as a free agent after leaving Juventus and made his first Monaco appearance in November 2025, having spent more than two years largely away from competitive football.

There were flashes of promise. Pogba returned to pre-season action in July and appeared in a friendly against Saint-Priest, but he remained short of the sustained match fitness required for a full Ligue 1 campaign.

A further thigh injury during Monaco’s training camp in England earlier this month compounded those concerns and left his future increasingly uncertain.

Pogba’s departure leaves him without a club at 33, with his next move likely to determine whether he can make another serious attempt to revive his career.

Reports have linked him with possible interest outside Europe’s major leagues, including the MLS and Saudi Arabia, although no new club has been confirmed.

For Monaco, the decision closes an experiment that never fully developed because of circumstances largely centred on Pogba’s availability.

The club’s public comments nevertheless suggest that his contribution away from the pitch was appreciated.

For Pogba, the immediate challenge is more personal than statistical. After a World Cup triumph, major honours in Italy and England, a doping suspension and repeated injuries, the Frenchman now faces another crossroads in an already extraordinary career.

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The next chapter will determine whether the former world champion can overcome another setback and find the consistency required to return to the level at which he once excelled.