WHAT HAPPENED?
Pep Guardiola has been credited with interest in Pogba before, when the World Cup-winning midfielder was performing at the peak of his powers. It is, however, considered unlikely that their paths will cross at the Etihad Stadium in 2025.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Ex-Manchester United star Pogba remains without a club after serving a doping ban and seeing his contract at Serie A giants Juventus terminated. He has been linked with teams around the world, but no deal has been done.
Getty ImagesDID YOU KNOW
There have been suggestions that Pogba could return to England for a third spell in the Premier League, with City busy bolstering their ranks after missing out on major honours in 2024-25. The 32-year-old has, however, not played a competitive game since September 2023.
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WHAT HENDRY SAID
With that in mind, former City defender Colin Hendry has told Coin Poker when asked about taking a punt on a proven performer that has lost his way: “What's Pogba been doing for the last few years? That's the thing, you know, there are so many doubts about his ability and where he is as a player because we haven’t seen him.
“At his last club, Juventus, he wasn’t brilliant, was he? I know he had a lot of issues away from the pitch, so maybe that was part of the reason why he didn’t play at his best in Italy, but…there are more reasons not to sign him than to sign him if I’m Pep Guardiola.
“I think gone are the days where players are out of work and then managers look and think, well, he's not played for three months, he's not played for six months, he's not played for nine months, he's not played for a year, let’s give him a chance. I don’t think that is the case at the elite level regardless of what you’ve done in the game and what your name is, and maybe Paul Pogba has found that out because no one has taken him so far.
“I don’t want to write him off; I hope he can come back and show everyone what he’s made of because he's 32 and still could have a couple of good years in him, but I don’t think Manchester City or the Premier League is a good fit for him to be honest.”
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR POGBA?
Pogba has been keeping himself fit while working on an individual training programme. He has spent plenty of time in the United States, alongside wife Zulay, amid talk of a club in MLS offering him a chance to rebuild his career.