Paul Pogba told £89m Man Utd transfer was his biggest 'mistake' as disgraced Juventus midfielder is slammed for 'short-changing' fans after four-year doping ban

Pogba's future in professional football was thrown into doubt when he tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone after a Serie A game against Udinese in August, with a provisional suspension imposed on September 11. He also saw the results of a 'B' sample come back positive the following month, with Juventus subsequently placing him on the lowest possible salary while waiting for a final verdict on his case. That was eventually delivered last Thursday, as Italy’s sport prosecutor saw a request to hand Pogba a four-year ban granted by the national anti-doping body.

Former Manchester United forward Garth Crooks believes Pogba has wasted his vast potential. He has also suggested the France international should never have returned to Old Trafford from Juve for a second spell, with the Red Devils paying a club-record £89 million ($113m) fee to bring him back onto their books in 2016. Pogba spectacularly fail to live up that price tag, and United let his contract run down to its expiry date in June 2022 before Juve re-signed him on a free transfer.

"He certainly is an enigma; a complicated and inconsistent player without doubt, but no right-minded football person could ever argue that his talent has been wasted - he won four Italian Serie A titles and a World Cup for goodness sake," Crooks wrote in his latest column for BBC Sport. "There can only be a handful of players anywhere in the world with that sort of record.

"Pogba's mistake was returning to Manchester United for a staggering £89m, and not just failing to win the Premier League, but not even coming close. That is why the France superstar will never acquire the legendary status afforded by United fans to the likes of Bryan Robson, Roy Keane or David Beckham, none of whom had Pogba's gifts or won the World Cup."

Crooks sympathises with supporters that have kept faith in Pogba throughout his career, only to see him continually let them down. "I have been one of Pogba's biggest critics," he added. "Not because of his colourful hairstyles, however much I hated them, but that on too many occasions he robbed us of his genius. All football fans want to see is those who have the magic produce it when they pay to see it. Sadly the magic, all too often, simply wasn't there. And now we feel short-changed."

Pogba said he was "sad, shocked and heartbroken" with the final verdict on his doping case, before adding in a statement on social media: "Everything I have built in my professional career has been taken away from me."

The World Cup winner also confirmed he will appeal, but if that is unsuccessful, he won't be clear to play competitive football again until 2027 - at which time he will be 34 - with the ban backdated to the date of his first failed test.