The official announcement of Paul Pogba’s separation from Juventus could come as early as the international break. The French midfielder’s role in the squad has already been taken by Khephren Thuram, signaling the end of one French era at Juventus and the beginning of another.
While Thuram, son of football legend Lilian Thuram, is establishing himself in the team with impressive performances, Gazzetta dello Sport report that Pogba is preparing to bid farewell. Thiago Motta is increasingly relying on Thuram’s driving runs with the ball, while Juventus and Pogba’s legal teams are finalizing the details of their divorce.
The announcement of Paul’s departure is expected imminently, possibly before the end of the international break. This early termination of his contract, which was set to expire in 2026, has been made inevitable by the doping case of the past year. The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne reduced Pogba’s ban from 4 years to 18 months, allowing him to return to the field in March.
Despite Pogba’s willingness to take a pay cut to continue playing for Juventus, the club has closed the door on his return. Technical Director Cristiano Giuntoli stated, “We’ve made significant investments in midfield; there’s no room in the squad.”
This divorce is vastly different from Pogba’s 2016 departure when Juventus received €105 million from Manchester United. However, the Bianconeri will still save considerably. Over the past year, due to the doping suspension, Pogba has been receiving only about €2,000 per month (the minimum salary under the collective agreement) instead of his contracted €8 million (plus €2 million in bonuses) per season.
In total, between the last twelve months and the early termination of the contract, Juventus will save around €30 million gross. The agreement is essentially reached, with the official announcement expected soon.
Pogba is likely to restart his career in the USA to put the doping ban and injuries from his second Juventus stint behind him. Meanwhile, Khephren Thuram has emerged as Pogba’s true heir on the field, embodying both the nationality and physicality of the player he idolizes. Thuram will now have the task of filling the void left by both Pogba and Adrien Rabiot, the last French protagonists in Juventus’ midfield.
