BREAKING NEWS: Erik ten Hag has expressed his admiration for Paul Pogba, saying, “I greatly admired him during my time at Ajax.” He added that he hopes Pogba will return to Manchester United to help support the midfield, as both Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro are currently facing difficulties on the pitch. Ten Hag described signing Pogba as “a dream” for the club. This statement comes after the CSA reached a decision regarding Pogba’s doping ban, which could have a major influence on the former Manchester United star’s return to football.

Paul Pogba, 31, received a suspension last year after testing positive for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), a substance that can enhance hormone levels, including testosterone. Despite the result, Pogba has consistently maintained that he never “knowingly or deliberately” ingested any banned substances and promptly appealed the decision.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has now reviewed Pogba’s appeal and reduced his original suspension to 18 months. As reported by Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail, Pogba will be permitted to return to training in January and could potentially be available to play by March. Although his initial suspension could have been as long as four years, Pogba remains under contract with Juventus and is expected to be available for selection under coach Thiago Motta later this season.

Pogba’s most recent appearance for Juventus was in September 2023 when he came on as a second-half substitute during a 2-0 victory over Empoli. However, the positive doping test was triggered by a random sample taken after a match against Udinese two weeks earlier, in which Pogba did not play. Both his A and B samples tested positive for DHEA, with the B sample confirmation coming in October. In December, anti-doping authorities initially proposed a four-year ban.

Following the announcement of his suspension, Pogba expressed his disappointment and frustration. He said, “I believe the verdict is wrong. I am devastated that everything I have worked for in my career has been taken away.” He also reiterated that he had never intentionally taken any banned substances, stressing that as a professional athlete, he would never disrespect his peers or fans. Pogba remains hopeful that once legal restrictions are lifted, the complete details of his case will come to light.