Paul Pogba jokes about what France boss Didier Deschamps told him ahead of Monaco move as midfielder opens up on possible return to Les Bleus

Pogba will be marking his much-anticipated return to football next season after serving an 18-month doping ban. The former Juventus and Manchester United midfielder opened up on his potential return to the France national team setup, joking about the conversation he had with head coach Deschamps.

Pogba will be donning the Monaco colours next season, signing a two-year contract with the French side as a free agent. The 32-year-old broke down in tears while putting ink to paper, showing how much it meant to him to finally break free from the hell of a doping ban. Pogba has been working tirelessly in order to regain shape, and has also admitted that he dreams of making it to France's squad for the 2026 World Cup.

Speaking at his Monaco presentation on Thursday, Pogba said: "Yes, of course. I spoke to [Deschamps] on the phone and he said, 'It's okay, you've signed for Monaco, you can come back whenever you want.' No, I'm just joking. Of course, it's the wish of every French football player to play for the French national team.

"But there are stages. Today I'm at stage one. It's about coming back and performing well. There are places to be won, you have to earn them because there's a very large squad and a great team. And it's also up to me to perform well and earn my place.

"Absolutely! As I said, there are stages. The first stage is to get back on the pitch, to play for my team, first of all, because you can't go to the French team without playing and performing well at club level. That's the first stage. And then we'll see.

"It's also possible that the coach won't take me even if I score 30 goals this season. It's about me first and foremost, playing, performing well, and enjoying myself. And then the French national team, that would of course be a dream and a bonus for me."

The French midfielder could play his first game for his new side when they face Cercle Brugge in a preseason outing on July 11.