'Hurry up!' - Paul Pogba sent motivational message by ex-Man Utd team-mate Jesse Lingard ahead of long-awaited return after doping ban with Frenchman all smiles in training despite seeing Monaco manager sacked

Pogba was cleared to resume his professional career in March 2025, with the expectation being - after seeing his contract terminated by Serie A giants Juventus - that he would step straight back into the fold somewhere. Several months were, however, spent in the free agent pool.

The 32-year-old was eventually snapped up by Monaco, allowing him to head back to his homeland for a first taste of Ligue 1 football. It was clear from the off, though, that patience was going to be required.

Having spent so long stuck on the sidelines, Pogba is having to rebuild match sharpness. A fitness setback suffered in training has hampered his cause, but the France international remains eager to make his long-awaited return at some point in October. He has posted several images online of intense training sessions being taken in.

Fans around the world are looking forward to seeing what Pogba has to offer, having once been one of the best goal-scoring midfielders on the planet. Those talents were showcased at Old Trafford alongside fellow Red Devils academy graduate Lingard.

The ex-England international, who is now plying his trade in South Korea for FC Seoul, is among those eager to see Pogba out on the pitch once more. He has posted on social media: “Hurry up and play we wanna see you ball out man.”

Pogba has been all smiles in Monaco training despite seeing a managerial change implemented. Adi Hutter has been relieved of his duties following a run of poor results. Top-three finishes have been secured in the last two seasons, but a run of one win in five across all competitions has led to movement in the dugout early in the 2025-26 campaign.

Pogba must realign his focus after seeing the coach that brought him in moved on. He is setting the loftiest of targets, with a potential shot at earning a place in France’s plans for next summer’s World Cup not being ruled out.

The all-action midfielder has said of landing an international recall: “The dream of the World Cup is there, but [Didier] Deschamps hasn't opened the doors for anyone. It's up to me to open them. It's the wish of every French football player to represent the France national team, but there are stages. Today I'm at stage one: coming back and performing well. There are spots to be won and you have to earn them because it's a very, very good group, a great team.”

Pogba is confident that he can recapture his best form, saying: “I am ready to return to normal in 2025. I only have one desire, to play football.”

He added on being forced to spend 18 months watching on from afar: “It was a very difficult year and what hurt the most was spending every day outside the stadium and (Juventus's training centre) Continassa taking my children to school without being able to go inside to train or play for Juventus.

“Many past and current team-mates have always supported me. (Juan) Cuadrado called me every other day and always made me laugh. (Paulo) Dybala sent me many messages. And then (Dusan) Vlahovic, (Weston) McKennie, (Timothy) Weah, (Moise) Kean... I didn't expect so many.”

Monaco, who sit fifth in the Ligue 1 table at present, will return to action after the latest international break when taking in a trip to Angers on October 18. They will then play host to Premier League side Tottenham in the Champions League, with it yet to be determined when Pogba will be cleared to make his bow.