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Adrien Rabiot wants Paul Pogba to join him at Marseille when the former Juventus and Manchester United midfielder is allowed to sign for a new club during the January transfer window.
Pogba, who won the 2018 World Cup with France, will be eligible to play again from March 11 following a doping ban – and Rabiot knows the 31-year-old’s qualities better than most after making 27 appearances alongside him for Les Bleus and Juve between 2016 and 2023.
“I know it’s a real topic,” 2022 World Cup winner Rabiot told DAZN after Marseille’s 2-0 win at Saint-Etienne in Ligue 1 on Sunday, via RMC.
“Of course I would like to play with Paul. We had a chance to rub shoulders at Juventus, where we didn’t have the chance to play together much because he had a lot of problems.
“I was a little disappointed. We cordially invite him to come and play at Olympique de Marseille. What we set up is really very important.”
— Paul Pogba (@paulpogba) October 4, 2024
Paul Pogba next club: Marseille?
A product of Manchester United’s academy, Pogba has not played club football in France since his youth days with Roissy-en-Brie, Torcy and Le Havre, from which he joined the Red Devils in 2009.
Joining Juventus in 2012, United made Pogba their record signing when they bought him from the Italian club for £89million in 2016, and he returned to Serie A when his contract at Old Trafford expires in 2022.
He received a four-year ban for a doping offense in February, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) reduced the sentence to 18 months in a ruling on October 4, starting with his initial provisional ban in September 2023.
Speaking before agreeing a mutual agreement with Juventus to terminate his contract on November 30, Pogba said Team that the Marseille link – made by Patrice Evra, one of his former United and France team-mates – was “not credible” as he was already under contract.
“Of course, nobody knows what tomorrow brings, so never say never,” he added, expressing his relief at being allowed to return to football.
Adrien Rabiot’s first goal with Marseille was GOOD 💥 pic.twitter.com/uEHCXrbbB0
— Ligue 1 English (@Ligue1_ENG) December 8, 2024
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Sharpness could be an issue for Pogba after more than 18 months between his last competitive game and a potential return, although BBC Sport reported that he can train with the club from January.
Second in France, Marseille have made an impressive start under new manager Roberto De Zerbi and are five points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain after their third straight win.
“There’s a real dynamic here – it’s very professional, from the players to the coaches and the management,” Rabiot said of playing for the nine-time French champions. “There is real ambition. If he wants to come, it is with great pleasure.”
