Paul Pogba is 'hungry for the ball!' Monaco midfielder and Ansu Fati still not fit as coach admits new signings are far from making debuts for French side

Pogba, the former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder, and Fati, the ex-Barcelona forward, both have found a new new home at Monaco, but are still not ready to debut for the French club. Head coach Hutter revealed that both high-profile summer signings are behind in fitness. The French side thrashed Coventry 5-0 in a pre-season friendly, but all eyes were on the new arrivals, none of whom featured except for England international Eric Dier, who made his debut.

While Monaco continue to prepare for the 2024-25 season, the integration of high-profile signings remains a work in progress. Fati and Pogba both arrived needing extensive fitness work, and the club is taking a cautious approach. Hutter admitted the pair are “hungry for the ball” but stressed they are still in the process of regaining physical structure and balance. Fati, having struggled for rhythm at Barca, is said to be slightly ahead of Pogba in terms of readiness.

While both players continue individual preparation away from match action, Hutter highlighted at L’Equipe that their differing situations and outlined the club’s cautious approach to their reintegration: “They’re working on their physical structure, their balance. You can’t compare the two. I think Ansu is a little closer to joining the team. At Barcelona, he wasn’t able to work as he should. We’re trying to get him back up to speed, but we can’t do it too soon. We’re being careful. They’re both hungry for the ball. They’ll get closer to that in the coming weeks.”

With Ligue 1 kick-off approaching, Monaco are prioritising long-term fitness over short-term impact. Fati and Pogba are expected to be eased in gradually, with no fixed timeline for their competitive return. The club will continue to assess both players week by week, hoping their patience pays off in the second half of the campaign.