French world champion Paul Pogba has returned to Juventus on a free transfer on Monday with the hope to revive a career at club level that stagnated at Manchester United.
The 29-year-old enjoyed a highly successful first spell at Juventus (2012-16) before United swooped to sign him for a then record 105 million euros ($106 million).
“Paul is back in Turin,” Juventus said on their website below a photo of a grinning Pogba in a Juventus shirt. “He left as a boy and returns as a man and a champion. But there is one thing that has not changed — the desire to write unforgettable pages of club history together once more. Pogba is back and we couldn’t be happier.”
Pogba underwent his medical exam over the weekend and has signed a four-year deal which will earn him a reported 8 million euros ($8.12 million) a season plus a potential two million euros in bonuses.
He later issued a short video on the Juventus Twitter account.
“Hello Bianconeri, as you can see, I have returned and I very happy to have done so,” he said. “I am eager to resume my career with you and to win new trophies.”
He rejoins Juve after his contract with Manchester United expired at the end of last month, marking the end of a largely disappointing six years back in England.
Dysfunctional United is further away from the top of English soccer than when he joined. It has not won a Premier League title in nine years.
The 2017 Europa League and the same season’s League Cup are a poor haul for Pogba at one of the world’s biggest clubs, especially as they both came under Jose Mourinho, a period when Pogba has said he first suffered from depression.
Pogba is expected to inherit the number 10 jersey from Paulo Dybala, who could join Inter Milan after the Argentina forward was let go by the Turin giants. Pogba wore that jersey in his final season at Juve, joining such iconic playmakers as Roberto Baggio, Alessandro del Piero, Michel Platini and Liam Brady.
He had moved to Juve from United four years previously while still a teenager and made a huge impression in a slick midfield featuring the likes of Andrea Pirlo and Arturo Vidal.
Pogba blossomed when coach Massimiliano Allegri replaced Antonio Conte in 2014. The Frenchman drove a powerful team to the following year’s Champions league final, losing to Barcelona. He won the Serie A title in each of his four seasons at the Old Lady of Italian soccer and retained his affection for Juve. He was linked with a return on several occasions during his time at United.
Allegri will be hoping that Pogba can help Juve return to its former glories after it finished fourth last season, 16 points behind champion AC Milan.
Pogba is Juve’s second notable signing in recent days. The club secured the signature of veteran Argentina winger Angel Di Maria after he was released by French champions Paris Saint-Germain.
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© Agence France-Presse
Wondering how this will effect McKenNIE.???
Might be a Good Time to get SOLD to LEEDS.!?!?!?
A healthy McKennie can hold his own at Juve, especially after the departures of Betancur and Kulusevski.
Is McKennie slotted as a 6 at Juventus? Maybe he will complement PP well? Curious to see how this shakes out, with PD out of the lineup. Serie A has gotten interesting the past couple of years as it became more competitive. Juventus winning every year got boring, in the same way the Bundesliga is boring with Bayern winning every year.