Former Real Madrid target Paul Pogba now facing a four-year ban

Former Real Madrid transfer target Paul Pogba is now facing the threat of a four-year footballing ban after failing a drug test.

The ex-Manchetser United and Juventus midfielder was provisionally suspended from all footballing activities on September 11 for failing a drug test in which he tested positive for testosterone, which is a banned substance.

It’s believed that testosterone is what enables athletes to improve their endurance and Pogba was tested to have it and more than the regulated amount in his body when asked to conduct a random drug test during a Serie A in which he wasn’t even a used substitute.

Pogba has been unable to catch a break in the past few years having been widely and constantly criticised during his time at Man United and since returning to Juventus in the summer of 2022 having only started one Serie A game due to injuries.

Now, his future looks even more confused not just with the Old Lady, but in football overall given that he could soon be handed a huge four-year ban, which if served immediately, would see him return to football when he’s 34 years old.

Paul Pogba faces four-year drug ban from football

That would indeed shut a lot of doors for him career-wise and may even force him into somewhat of an early retirement if he doesn’t believe he’s got the hunger and desire to give back to football in his latter years.

Having been suspended since September, it’s emerged today that the French midfield has once again, seen test results come back positive for testosterone. This follows a counter-analysis which was taken from a second sample.

The fact that he has now tested positive twice would suggest there will be next to grounds for an appeal as the evidence is truly stacked up against the French international who has long protested his innocence.

When the news first emerged back in September about Pogba testing positive, the player’s representatives said: “We are waiting for the counter-analysis and until then we can’t say anything. The certain thing is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break the rules.”

Ex-Real Madrid transfer target now faces a bleak future

Obviously, Juventus are now wanting to protect their own back and put the club before Pogba who has broken very clear rules when employed by them, which is why they have now reportedly suspended all payments to the midfielder who has a contract to run until the summer of 2026.

This will be an incredibly tough time for Pogba mentally having to be frozen out of the footballing world and is now being shone in a very negative light within the media who will likely label him a cheat if/when his ban comes into force.

However, Pogba has nobody to blame but himself for being caught in the act and he will receive next to no sympathy from the wider public when this is all made a lot clearer about what has happened and what is going to happen with Pogba the footballer.