What If City Had Signed Pogba? Monaco’s Unexpected Comeback Chapter

Pogba's unlikely return: City near-miss fuels Monaco reboot

Paul Pogba's career could have taken a different turn three years ago when he was close to joining Manchester City. That fork in the road never happened, and today the French midfielder is preparing with Monaco to face City in the Champions League, still hoping to reclaim his best form with the principality after more than two years away from competitive football.

Back in 2022, City were linked with Pogba after he left Manchester United on a free transfer, with Pep Guardiola reportedly keen on the idea and Pogba open to the move; however, the deal never materialized and his path diverged.

Since then, Pogba's path wound through Juventus, where injuries marred his first season. A doping test in September 2023 led to a four-year ban, later reduced to 18 months on appeal, paving the way for a comeback in March 2025.

After mutually terminating his contract with Juventus, Pogba signed a two-year deal with Monaco last summer. He has yet to feature regularly, continuing to regain match fitness after a 759-day absence, with the club gradually integrating him into training and smaller fixtures.

Head coach Adi Hütter said the plan is to ease him back into action, hoping he might be ready for competitive duty after the international break if his conditioning and the team's needs align. The process emphasizes gradual integration rather than a dramatic splash onto the stage.

Raising the fundamental question, can Pogba recapture his peak level? He still dreams of rejoining the French national team before the summer World Cup, but the road remains long and uncertain.

One of Pogba's finest moments came against Manchester City in April 2018, when he inspired Manchester United with a two-goal burst to overturn a deficit and win 3-2 at the Etihad. That performance underscored the talent the world once paid nearly £90 million to acquire in 2016.

His time at United under Jose Mourinho was marked by public friction at times, with the manager stressing that Pogba needed to deliver his World Cup-winning best consistently. A later resurgence under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer brought a better scoring run, though the overall tally in the following seasons remained limited. Since leaving United in 2021, Pogba has appeared just 12 official matches.

Back in Turin, Pogba called his Juventus return a homecoming, but the mood shifted after a doping-related episode and a significant setback. In July of the previous year he cried at signing with Monaco, expressing gratitude for the club’s renewed faith and signaling a fresh start as he enters a new phase of his career.

The journey ahead is long, and as Monaco prepare for Manchester City in the Champions League, Pogba continues to chase both fitness and form. Whether this chapter ends with a return to the world’s spotlight or remains a remembered talent, his story remains one of football’s most intriguing comebacks.

Punchline 1: If Pogba finds his rhythm again, the ball won’t know which way to go—neither will the defenders.

Punchline 2: Monaco’s training ground better have a good Wi‑Fi signal—this comeback might pull more fans than a midweek league clash.