Paul Pogba leaves Monaco after 6 appearances

French midfielder Paul Pogba and Ligue 1 club Monaco mutually agreed to terminate his contract, the club announced Wednesday.

“Having jointly concluded that the objectives initially set were only partially achieved, AS Monaco and Paul Pogba have decided, ahead of the first match of the new season, to end the contract, which was due to run until June 2027,” Monaco said in a statement.

The decision came days before Monaco’s opening match of the 2026-27 Ligue 1 season.

Pogba, 33, joined Monaco on a free transfer in June 2025 after returning from a doping suspension but was limited by injuries to six Ligue 1 appearances, including one start.

He played 115 minutes and recorded no goals or assists.

Monaco praised Pogba’s attitude and determination, saying he shared his experience with the first-team squad while working to return to top-level competition following a lengthy absence.

“AS Monaco sincerely thanks Paul and wishes him every success in the future,” said the club.

Pogba also thanked the club, its management, his teammates, staff and supporters.

“Representing this club and the principality was an incredible experience. AS Monaco is an incredible club and although I did not play as many games as I had hoped, I will always be grateful for the opportunity to wear their colours,” he said.

Pogba was initially handed a four-year suspension in February 2024 after testing positive for a banned substance while playing for Juventus.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced the suspension to 18 months on appeal in October 2024.

Pogba was part of the France team that won the 2018 FIFA World Cup. He has registered 11 goals in 91 international appearances.

At the club level, Pogba had two spells each with Manchester United and Juventus before joining Monaco in 2025.

Manchester United re-signed him from Juventus for a then-world-record fee of £89 million (€105 million) in 2016.