- Pogba joins Monaco after doping ban
- Team-mate says it’s a "pleasure" to have him
- Frenchman may have to wait for debut
Following the conclusion of his doping ban, Pogba signed for Monaco earlier this summer, and so far, he has made a positive impression, especially on team-mate Maghnes Akliouche. The attacking midfielder said the 32-year-old brings a lot to the Ligue 1 team but manager Adi Hutter said the former Manchester United star is still working his way back to fitness – so it may be a while yet before his makes his long-awaited return to football.
The 23-year-old told RMC Sport: “I know he [Pogba] works hard, he works well. We also talk a lot with the physios. Having him with us is a pleasure for us. He has a lot of experience and he’s a good person, he has a smile and that also brings us a lot to the group.”
Hutter added: “Ansu Fati and he are doing a very good job. They are fighting to come back and be available for us as soon as possible. It will be sooner for Ansu than Paul. Paul is doing a good rehabilitation, but it’s always difficult to give a forecast. We will have to wait a month for sure. For me, the most important thing is that he trains every day, and when the time is right, we will integrate him.”
Former France international Pogba has not played first-team football for the best part of two years so it is understandable that the 2018 World Cup winner will have to be patient. He himself admitted that he wants to be back to his best before getting game time. But when he does return, the footballing world will know about it.
As Hutter said, Pogba is likely to be sidelined for another month. That means he will miss Monaco’s Ligue 1 games against Le Havre, Lille, and Strasbourg but could be back for their match against Auxerre on September 14.
