Paul Pogba urged to embrace ‘revenge’ mission alongside Mason Greenwood – with fellow World Cup winner warning against Premier League return for free agent ex-Man Utd star

Ex-Manchester United midfielder Pogba has become a free agent on the back of seeing his contract terminated at Juventus. That decision was taken as the France international continues to serve a worldwide doping ban.

Said sanction has been cut from four years to 18 months, meaning that Pogba will be able to resume his professional career in March. Various landing spots have been speculated on for the 31-year-old – from England to the United States – but Emmanuel Petit wants to see him head home.

Ex-Monaco star Petit has told Casino Utan Spelpaus of what happens next for his fellow World Cup winner: “There is big speculation about Pogba joining Marseille. Marseille, they are doing great in the transfer market. With the new Sports Director, the former player, Medhi Benatia, who just signed a new contract at the club. He has done such a great job at Marseille, bringing some very exciting and good players into the team.

“Playing for Marseille is something special, you know. This city lives for the club. They are so passionate about football and about their club. You can see that every single time they play at home in front of almost 60,000 people. The atmosphere is amazing. That reminds me of back in the day, when I had to play with Monaco for the title at the Velodrome. The atmosphere was volcanic. I loved it. So, you must have the character to play over there because the storm is not very far away. It always comes in Marseille, but it's been months now that we only speak about Marseille for the right reasons, not the bad reasons.

“Coming back to Pogba, he's been linked probably with a move over there, but I know that he's training alone, he's doing hard work, he's very fit but it's a big difference working in the gym compared to working on the pitch with your team-mates. When was the last time he touched a ball? It was 18 months ago with Juventus which means It will be a gamble. I love when you get a player with a feeling of revenge, that their image has been destroyed, for the last two seasons, starting with Manchester United.

“If I am a manager of a club, it would be interesting because we all know the quality of the footballer when everything is set up in his mind. We all know what kind of player he can be on the pitch, which means it can be a gamble. He knows that he will have to accept less money than what he is used too. No problem. He cannot make a great deal financially at the moment. For any club that signs him, it would have to be a deal with a club that will help him come back the way he was before. It's a win-win deal for any club. Do what you have to do on the pitch, we will help as much as we can to come back to the level you were before.”

Quizzed on whether Pogba - who has previously taken in two spells at Old Trafford - should consider a return to the Premier League, former Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Petit said: “I think it's too soon for Pogba to come back to the Premier League. The image he left when he left Manchester United was not good enough. He was under such criticism and scrutiny all the time. For me, coming back to Ligue 1 would probably be the best decision for him. If he goes to Marseille with the passion of the club, the fans, that's something that can help him to come back step by step.”

Pogba will hope to have a contract somewhere lined up in the not too distant future, allowing him to start working on his fitness with an end goal in mind. Marseille, who have Pogba’s former United team-mate Greenwood on their books, sit second in Ligue 1 at present – seven points back on leaders Paris Saint-Germain.