Paul Pogba is close to ending his two-year absence from football after opening talks with AS Monaco over a deal with the Ligue 1 team, sources have told ESPN.

Pogba, a member of France’s World Cup winning team in 2018, has not played competitive football since being issued with a four-year doping suspension by the Italian anti-doping tribunal in September 2023 for testing positive for the elevated levels of Testosterone.

Although Pogba had the suspension reduced to 18 months on appeal last October, the former Manchester United midfielder’s contract with Juventus was cancelled in a mutual agreement last November and the player has not played since leaving the Serie A club.

However, sources have told ESPN that Pogba, 32, is now in advanced talks with Monaco over a free agent move to the French team. The story was first reported by Fabrizio Romano.

Pogba has been linked with moves to Saudi Pro League teams and teams due to compete in the FIFA club World Cup.

But discussions with Monaco are progressing well and the player is expected to seal a move to the team and return to club football in France for the first time since leaving Le Havre for United as a 16 year old in 2009.