PAUL POGBA will reportedly agree to terminate his Juventus contract after his drug ban was reduced from four years to 18 months.
Pogba, 31, tested positive for banned substance DHEA — which naturally boosts testosterone production — in August 2023.
The former Manchester United star claimed he took it by accident.
But the Anti-Doping Prosecutor’s Office dismissed Pogba’s pleas and handed him a four-year ban in February — effectively ending the French World Cup winner’s playing career.
However, Pogba was handed a major lifeline this month after taking his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
They reduced his ban from four years to 18 months.
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And it means Pogba will be available to play again from March 2025, while he can train with his club from January.
But it appears that will not be at Juventus, with Fabrizio Romano claiming all parties are now close to agreeing a deal that will see Pogba terminate his Turin contract.
The midfielder played just twice at the start of the 2023/24 campaign, after rejoining from United.
And new Juve boss Thiago Motta has since taken his squad in a fresh direction.
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Pogba himself is said to agree that a new start is the best course of action.
And he will start looking for a club once he becomes a free agent.
Juventus chiefs certainly had a cool reaction to the news of Pogba’s imminent availability.
Speaking before the 1-1 draw with Cagliari, boss Motta said: “The club will decide what to do with Pogba.
“For me, he was a great player, he hasn’t played for a long time.”
Sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli added: “He was a great player but he’s been out of action for a long time.”
What is DHEA?
PAUL POGBA tested positive for elevated levels of DHEA, a hormone that naturally occurs in the adrenal gland, in August 2023.
DHEA, or dehydroepiandrosterone, can be used to naturally boost testosterone production. It does not produce testosterone itself.
It is on the world anti-doping banned substances list and carries a maximum of four years if the athlete took it deliberately to enhance their performance.
DHEA can legally be sold over-the-counter in the US as a dietary product, known as prasterone.
It is also taken as an anti-ageing therapy, and to treat depression and the symptoms of menopause, although there is little evidence to suggest it is effective, and it can cause serious side effects.
In 2022, UFC fighter Bobby Green received a six-month ban after testing positive for a DHEA.
Green said he had not realised that DHEA was banned after seeing a video on YouTube, and took the supplement after his wife bought it from a supermarket.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
