Can Monaco moves save the careers of Paul Pogba and Ansu Fati? Fallen stars arrive in Ligue 1 at contrasting crossroads

Because of their focus on unearthing hidden gems and polishing rough diamonds, Monaco haven't made many waves in the transfer market since the summer of 2013-14, when club president Dmitry Rybolovlev spent just under €150 million (£128m/$174m) on new players, including Colombian stars Radamel Falcao and James Rodriguez.

One could easily argue, then, that Pogba would represent Les Monegasques' most high-profile signing of the past decade. For example, the former Juventus midfielder has 63 million followers on Instagram - more than 30 times as many as Monaco - and that's in spite of the fact that Pogba hasn't played a competitive game of football since September 3, 2023 because of a doping ban.

Right from the start, the Frenchman accepted his share of the blame for taking a supplement prescribed by a doctor in Florida that led to elevated levels of testosterone in his system, which was picked up by a drugs test after a Serie A game against Udinese, but Pogba insisted all along that he had never "knowingly or deliberately" ingested a banned substance. As a result, he fought the four-year ban initially imposed upon him by Italy's anti-doping committee (Nado), and the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ultimately reduced his suspension to 18 months, ruling that while "Mr Pogba was not without fault, and that, as a professional football player, he should have paid a greater care in the circumstances," the breach "was not intentional".

"Finally the nightmare is over," Pogba said after his appeal was "partially upheld". "I can look forward to the day when I can follow my dreams again. I play with integrity and, although I must accept that this is a strict liability offence, I want to place on record my thanks to the Court of Arbitration for Sport's judges who heard my explanation. This has been a hugely distressing period in my life because everything I have worked so hard for has been put on hold."

Now, though, he's free to resume a top-flight career that appeared to be over.

At 22, Ansu Fati is 10 years younger than Pogba - and yet there is just as much concern over whether the Spaniard is also finished at the highest level.

It now feels like an eternity ago but, back in 2019, Fati was the most exciting young player in world football, a 16-year-old striking sensation breaking one record after another at Barcelona and wowing the world in much the same way as Lamine Yamal is now.

Then came the injury that changed everything. On November 7, 2020, just a fortnight after Fati had become the second-youngest goal-scorer in Clasico history, he tore the meniscus in his left knee. Barca said the teenager would be out of action for four months. He didn't return for nine, though - and even when he did, he wasn't the same player.

There were flashes of Fati's former self during the 2022-23 campaign, in which he scored 10 goals in all competitions, but the mere fact that Barca loaned him to Brighton the following season showed that the club had lost faith in a forward upon whom they had bestowed the ultimate honour by giving him Lionel Messi's iconic No.10 jersey.

Unfortunately, Fati failed miserably to impress in the Premier League, meaning there was never any chance of his temporary stay the Amex materialising into a transfer.

Hansi Flick's appointment as Barca boss last summer hardly improved Fati's fortunes, as the German was charged with making Barca not only better, but fitter. It, thus, came as little surprise to see the injury-plagued Fati afforded just three starts last season - and just 298 minutes of total game time.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the attacker was deeply affected by the way in which he was treated by the German and has now reluctantly accepted that there is no longer any future for him at Barcelona.

Of course, the Catalans have been trying to sell Fati for some time now, in order to create some wiggle room on their wage bill and generate some pure profit to alleviate their ongoing financial fair play problems. The problem is that they've been unable to find a buyer for the fragile forward. Monaco, though, are willing to take Fati on loan with a view to permanent move.

So, what hope do both Fati and Pogba have of kickstarting their careers in the principality?

There are certainly few more privileged places to play football than Monaco. However, the glamorous tax haven is also home to one of Europe's most attractive teams thanks in no small part to the work being done at the Stade Louis II by Adi Hutter.

After winning domestic titles in his native Austria and Switzerland, with Red Bull Salzburg and Young Boys, respectively, before reaching the semi-finals of the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt, the 55-year-old coach took charge of Monaco in July 2023 and immediately led the club back into the Champions League via a runners-up finish in Ligue 1.

Hutter's side immediately announced themselves as a team to watch by beating Barcelona last September, while they also beat Aston Villa on their path to the knockout phase play-offs, where they were beaten 4-3 on aggregate by Benfica after a thrilling 3-3 draw at Estadio da Luz.

French football followers were utterly unsurprised by the exciting nature of Monaco's campaign, given Hutter's willingness to afford creative talents such as Eliesse Ben Seghir, Maghnes Akliouche and George Ilenikhena the freedom to express themselves.

"For me, football is entertainment," Hutter told The Guardian earlier this year. "I hate boring football: 15 passes around the backline and then back to the goalkeeper. I like to play an inspiring brand of football. It doesn't mean you win every game but the spectators expect you to play the ball forward. In the offensive third, I say: 'Guys, you are creative players.' I don't say: 'You have to play this ball and this ball. Guys, you earn money for your creativity.'"

One would imagine, then, that Fati and Pogba would relish playing under such an offensively-minded coach.

Perhaps even more importantly, Hutter appears precisely the right kind of character to coax the best out of Fati and Pogba. As he's repeatedly proven with his handling of the previously ill-disciplined Denis Zakaria, the Austrian has exceptional man-management skills.

"Sometimes at the start of my managerial career, I could not understand that some players did not have the same attitude that I had as a player," the former midfielder told Getfootballnewsfrance.com. "Then you start to learn that every player is another human, so there are always a lot of emotions and when you cannot control them, you can say something and it can be too much.

"But I am very careful about this now. It doesn’t make a difference if they are old or young. Sometimes, someone makes a mistake and while I may be disappointed or angry, it can happen. So, now I build a relationship [with the player] because I was also young once!"

Fair to say, then, that if Fati and Pogba do move to Monaco, they would find a sympathetic ear at the Stade Louis II, one more than willing to listen to their recent grievances with their former clubs.

Certainly, both men feel hard done by. Fati believes he should have been given more opportunities to prove his worth to Barca, and it's been reported that he turned down moves during the winter window on the misguided presumption that more game time was coming his way during the second half of the season, while Pogba has publicly berated Juve for a perceived lack of support during his doping ban.

Fati obviously has youth on his side. As even Barca sporting director Deco pointed out, "We talk about him as if he were 30, but he still has to grow and he still has a lot to learn." Monaco appears the ideal environment for Fati to do both - if he can stay fit (and that's a really big 'if').

As for Pogba, he won't get a better offer from a sporting perspective, given the incredible amount of baggage he brings with him everywhere he goes.

He could have made more money moving to the Middle East or MLS, but he clearly feels that he can not only re-establish himself as a major force in European football, but also propel himself back into the France fold in time for the 2026 World Cup by becoming the leader of an exciting young team that will be once again playing Champions League football next season.

"I am mentally and physically ready," he told TF1, "and I can't wait to start again, at 32, as if I were still a kid."

Of course, immaturity remains Pogba's principal problem, which explains precisely why Juve were so keen to cancel his colossal contract and why none of Europe's elite are willing to go near him even though he's a free agent.

Just like Fati, though, Pogba represents a low-risk signing that could pay seriously high dividends for Monaco. Indeed, while Hutter says that he is "more of a development coach" than "a fire fighter", these are two players well worth trying to rescue.