The sad demise of Paul Pogba: From his ill-fated Manchester United return to a failed drug test at Juventus

Four years after leaving United in acrimonious circumstances on a free transfer, Pogba makes a much-heralded return, re-joining the Red Devils for a then-record £89 million fee. The midfielder declares, "This is the right club for me to achieve everything I hope to."

Pogba makes his debut in a 2-0 win over Southampton but comes in for some criticism for a perceived lack of defensive discipline during his first few appearances for United.

Pogba scores his first goal for United in a 4-1 rout of Leicester City and then bags a brace in a Europa League defeat of Fenerbahce, prompting manager Jose Mourinho to lash out at the "Einsteins" in the media who had been quick to write off the new arrival. "We know he is a very good player," the Portuguese says. "We know he needs some time to show his potential."

Pogba's second-half goal at the MKM Stadium proves decisive as United overcome Hull City 3-2 on aggregate - despite losing 2-1 on the night - to reach the League Cup final. Mourinho's men would go on to lift the trophy on February 26, with Pogba playing all 90 minutes as they beat Southampton 3-2 at Wembley.

Pogba is forced off in United's Europa League clash with Rostov with a hamstring injury which sidelines him for just under three weeks, ruling him out of five games in all competitions for club and country. Mourinho blames the congested fixture list in England.

Playing in just his second game after the death of his father Fassou Antoine, Pogba opens the scoring in the Europa League final with a deflected drive as United beat Ajax 2-0 to win their first continental title in nine years. "We are very proud," Pogba enthuses. "Nobody can talk now. They say we have a bad season but we have three trophies (including the Community Shield)."

Pogba's season begins on a high, with two goals in his first two Premier League outings, but then he limps off just 19 minutes into a Champions League group game against Basel. Subsequent scans reveal another hamstring problem, only this time more serious. Pogba sits out a total of 16 games over the following two months.

Pogba makes an impressive return to action, scoring one goal and creating another in a 4-1 win over Newcastle on November 18. However, as the season progresses, he continues to be criticised over his poor positioning and defensive negligence, and it soon becomes clear that Mourinho is now losing faith in the star signing too. Pogba doesn't feature at all in a 2-1 win over Liverpool on March 10 and only sees half an hour off the bench as United are knocked out of the Champions League by Sevilla three days later.

Due to the unavailability of Antonio Valencia, Pogba is installed as United's temporary captain for the start of the Premier League season. However, in September, Mourinho informs Pogba that he'll never skipper the side again amid reports that the manager is unhappy with the player's attitude. Mourinho insists in an interview with Sky Sports that there has be been "no fallout at all, no problem at all, just a decision that I don't have to explain."

After reports that Mourinho had called Pogba a "virus" in a heated dressing-room exchange after a 2-2 draw with Southampton on December 1, the France international is given just 15 minutes of game time against Arsenal before being left on the bench for games against Fulham and Liverpool. However, United lose the latter game 3-1 and Mourinho is sacked just two days later.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is promptly appointed United's new manager on a temporary basis and immediately restores Pogba to the starting line-up. With Mourinho gone, Pogba produces arguably the best spell of his United career, scoring eight times in the next nine Premier League games.

However, the purple patch doesn't last long. Pogba's form falls off a cliff during the business end of the season. Consequently, despite enjoying the best season of his career from a statistical perspective, with his 16 goals and 11 assists contributing to his inclusion in the PFA Team of the Year, he is heckled by fans after a free-falling United conclude a second consecutive trophy-less campaign with a 2-0 loss at home to Cardiff.

At a commercial event in Tokyo, Pogba publicly admits that he's considering quitting United: "For me I have been for three years in Manchester and have been doing great; some good moments and some bad moments, like everybody, like everywhere else. But after this season and everything that happened this season, with my season being my best season as well, I think for me it could be a good time to have a new challenge somewhere else."

Mino Raiola tells The Times that "everyone knows the willingness of Paul to move on. We are in the process of [doing] that." However, according to Sky Sports, United subsequently reject an offer of £27.6m plus James Rodriguez for Pogba from Real Madrid.

Somewhat surprisingly, Pogba is still at Old Trafford when the season begins and he impresses in a 4-0 win over Chelsea. He admits after the game that "this question mark remains" over his future ahead of the close of the transfer window - but despite Madrid's continued interest, and talk of a return to Turin, no move materialises.

Pogba misses two games with an ankle knock sustained in a 1-1 draw with Southampton. He makes his return in a League Cup game with Rochdale on September 25 before playing all 90 minutes of a Premier league clash with Arsenal five days later. However, it's then confirmed that he's suffered a recurrence of the injury and is ruled out until December. Pogba then manages two appearances off the bench during the festive period before breaking down again. Solskjaer initially claims that Pogba will only be out for "three or four weeks" but the midfielder is forced to undergo surgery on the long-standing ankle problem and, ultimately, does not return until June 2020 (albeit partly due to the pandemic-enforced suspension of play).

Pogba scores the only goal of the game as United beat AC Milan 1-0 to progress to the quarter-finals of the Europa League 2-1 on aggregate. Solskjaer's side go on to reach the final, where they are beaten on penalties by Villarreal, and also finish second in the Premier League - but it's another underwhelming campaign for Pogba, who is sidelined three times in total, first after catching Coronavirus and then by ankle and hamstring problems.

Pogba becomes the first United player to register four assists in the same game, in a 5-1 rout of Leeds at Old Trafford. In doing so, he betters his entire haul for the previous campaign.

Just 15 minutes after coming on in a humiliating 5-0 loss to Liverpool, Pogba is shown a straight red card for a shocking challenge on Naby Keita. Pogba is suspended for two games but doesn't appear in the Premier League again until February because of a hamstring injury.

Amid ongoing reports that United are still trying to get Pogba to extend his contract, fans make their feelings towards the club's highest-paid player perfectly clear during a home game against Norwich. Boos and chants of "F*ck off, Pogba!" ring around the stadium as Pogba is replaced with 16 minutes remaining.

The Norwich game proves Pogba's final appearance at Old Trafford, with his season, somewhat fittingly, ended early by injury. Then, on June 1, United announce his departure upon the expiration of his contract with the club.

"It was a low-key end to a United career that brought so many individual high moments," the club said. "So many beautiful goals, assists and pieces of skill. For a boy that joined the academy at 16 to make over 200 United appearances and lift the Youth Cup, along with two major pieces of silverware, is something that should be applauded and celebrated."

Pogba posts on social media, "I feel privileged to have played for this club. Many beautiful moments and memories but most importantly an unconditional support from the fans. Thank you, Man Utd."

In an Amazon Prime documentary, Pogba reveals that his "thought process is to show Manchester (United) that they made a mistake in waiting to give me a contract. And to show other clubs that Manchester had made a mistake in not offering me a contract."

Juventus excitedly confirm Pogba's widely-expected but long-awaited return, on a free transfer and a four-year contract worth a reported €8m (£7m/$8.4m) per annum.

"Paul is back in Turin," reads a club statement. "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."

Less than two weeks after signing on the dotted line, Pogba breaks down in training ahead of a pre-season friendly with Barcelona in the United States.

"After complaining of pain in his right knee, Paul Pogba underwent radiological examinations that revealed a lesion of the lateral meniscus," the club explained. "In the next few hours he will undergo a specialist orthopaedic consultation. Therefore, in order to continue treatment, he is not taking part in the trip to Dallas."

Pogba plays no further part in Juve's US tour and returns to Italy on July 23 for further evaluation before then flying to Lyon on August 1 to consult a knee specialist. The following day, he makes a hugely controversial call, deciding against surgery and opting instead to undergo a more 'conservative' therapy. It's clear that he has one eye on the World Cup and coach Massimiliano Allegri is clearly not convinced by the chosen course of action.

"What do I think? I don't think, I have relied on what was said and the decision that was made. I'm not a doctor," he tells reporters. "Conservative therapy has been adopted. Within five-to-six weeks, he will be able to be on the field. You have to have confidence. That was the decision, then we'll see if it was right or wrong."

Pogba's brother Mathias posts a video online promising "explosive" revelations about the midfielder, and Rafaela Pimenta, who took over as the player's agent following the death of Raiola.

Pogba's legal team immediately confirm that they are already aware of the claims – which included an allegation that the player had hired a witchdoctor to place a spell on France team-mate Kylian Mbappe, of whom he was supposedly jealous – and explain that they are linked to an extortion plot by an organised crime gang.

Pogba had already informed French police that he had been threatened by two hooded men armed with assault rifles in Paris on March 19, 2021 and, among other things, had his mobile phone taken away from him, as well as being ordered to pay £11m ($14m) in owed 'protection fees'. Pogba had also gone to the Italian authorities after being subject to further threats and acts of intimidation in Turin.

A month of "conservative therapy" fails to yield the desired result and, on September 3, 2022 Pogba belatedly undergoes surgery on his knee.

"The operation went very well, I'm going to recover and come back very, very quickly," he says in a social media post three days later. "I wanted to thank you all for your messages, for your support. Know that, mentally, I'm okay despite all the worries, the injury, and the other problems."

Mathias Pogba and three other people connected to the alleged extortion plot are taken into custody by French policy.

It was initially thought that Pogba would return to action approximately eight weeks after the operation but, shortly after resuming athletic work, he suffers a thigh injury just above his weakened right knee, casting considerable doubt on his availability for the World Cup.

Pogba's agent confirms just three weeks before the start of the World Cup that her client will play no part in the tournament.

"Following yesterday and today's medical review in Torino and Pittsburgh, it is extremely painful to inform Paul will still need recovery time from his surgery," Pimenta states. "For this reason, Paul will not be able to join the Juventus squad before the World Cup break nor the French national team in Qatar.

"If wishful thinking would change things, Paul would be playing tomorrow. But what changes things are hard work, resilience and discipline, all of which are the only things in Paul's mind at these challenging times. Paul will continue working, giving his very best to be back on the pitch for the fans and his team as soon as possible."

Mathias Pogba is released from prison. The 32-year-old had been in pre-trial detention since being arrested and charged over an alleged plot to blackmail his brother. Four other people remain under formal investigation for extortion and criminal association.

Under the terms of his release, Mathias Pogba is reportedly prohibited from contacting Paul or his mother, and also prevented from leaving France or using social networks.

Pogba takes to Instagram to post a picture of himself on a ski slope. Given he's not yet made a single appearance for the club since rejoining Juve, many supporters reply with vitriolic comments attacking Pogba over a perceived lack of professionalism.

Pogba returns to Juventus training on January 10 and subsequently scores twice in an in-house friendly against Juve's reserve team.

On January 28, Allegri reveals in a press conference that Pogba is finally available for selection again, and includes the World Cup winner in his squad for the Serie A clash with Monza in Turin the following day. However, Pogba spends the entire game on the bench amid reports that he suffered yet another setback (a flexor problem) in the warm-up.

Pogba finally makes his first appearance since rejoining Juve, coming on as a substitute in a Serie A clash with Torino.

Pogba is dropped from the squad to face Freiburg in the Europa League for reportedly turning up late for a team meeting.Allegri quips before the game, "I think Paul arrived on time tonight, so he will be available from tomorrow on."

Four days later, Pogba is sidelined by another muscular injury sustained while practicing free-kicks.

Pogba is named in a starting line-up in a competitive fixture for the first time in 390 days, after being given the nod by Allegri to face Cremonese. However, he leaves the field in tears after being forced off just 23 minutes into the game with a thigh problem that brings a premature end to his season.

"It's sad, as he made so many sacrifices to recover, and now has to stop again after feeling that pain in the quadricep," Allegri tells DAZN. "But Paul is a grown man, he has broad shoulders and can get over this too. We are all disappointed but we will wait for him."

As the new Serie A season gets underway, Pogba's fitness remains a major talking point - and a source of some confusion. He doesn't get off the bench in Juve's first game, against Udinese, but makes cameos in the subsequent clashes with Bologna and Empoli. After the latter outing, Allegri confirms that the player "felt a twinge" and it's eventually revealed that Pogba is suffering from muscle fatigue, meaning more time in the treatment room.

Pogba is provisionally suspended for failing an anti-doping test, taken after Juve's clash with Udinese in Serie A. "We are waiting for the counter analysis and until then we can't say anything," Pimenta says, before adding, "The certain thing is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break the rules."

After the B sample confirms the presence of eleveated levels of testosterone in Pogba's system, he is then forced to wait five months before Italy's national anti-doping tribunal confirms his four-year ban.

Pogba intends to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne but the suspension seems to signal the end of his time at the highest level of the game.