Arsenal have been told that they should consider signing free agent midfielder Paul Pogba following his recent release from Juventus, with a former Gunners star explaining why he thinks a move to north London would be a match made in heaven and could help the Gunners over the title line.
Pogba is currently unattached after leaving Juventus following a difficult spell that saw him handed a four-year suspension from the game for doping offences. That ban was reduced to 18 months on appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, meaning the former Manchester United man will be free to sign for a club of his choosing from March 2025 and is also eligible to join in first-team training from January.
The 31-year-old will be hoping that his next club can see him get his career back on track and allow him to enjoy something of a renaissance in the game after being limited to just 12 appearances for Juventus upon re-signing for them in summer 2022 as a free agent.
Where the World Cup winner ends up next remains a question still to be answered. As expected, though, he has been linked with lucrative moves to both Saudi Arabia and the MLS, where many of the game’s big names often end up.
However, former Arsenal star Bacary Sagna says that the Gunners should consider signing him, feeling the 31-year-old can push them over the title line as they look to win a first Premier League crown since 2004.
“The Premier League suits Paul Pogba – I would love to see him join Arsenal,” Sagna told Paddy Power.
“It would be great – he has experience; he loves to play with young players around him – that is when he is most efficient.
“At the 2018 World Cup, that was when he was most efficient – he had friends around him.
“Arsenal have a young, fresh team, and I see him performing in an Arsenal shirt. He will get love from their fans.
“Now, he can start from scratch again – he’s had time away from football, and he’ll be back with a desire to get back into a good space and play football again.”
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Boasting 423 career appearances, 73 goals, 91 caps for France and 11 major honours during his career, Pogba is one of the most experienced and decorated stars in the modern game.
With two spells apiece and Juventus and Manchester United, though, his career has badly gone off track and as it stands, he has only infrequently showed his world-class talents on a regular basis, clashed with a series of managers and largely failed to justify the hype that surrounds him, spare those few excellent seasons at Juve between 2013-2016.
Now cleared to resume his career, he will hope that whatever move follows next, will allow him to get his career back on track.
But would a move to Arsenal make sense?
The Gunners are pretty well blessed in midfield with Mikel Merino this summer adding to club record signing Declan Rice and the experienced duo Jorgino and Thomas Partey.
After an injury-riddled 2023/24 season, Partey has looked back to his old self this term, featuring in 11 games so far and scoring in the Premier League win at Aston Villa in August.
His deal though expires at the season’s end and it remains uncertain what Arsenal plans are for the 31-year-old Ghanaian.
However, it is doubtful Arteta would bring in Pogba over extending Partey’s deal, with the Arsenal boss very big on the harmony that exists in his squad and unlikely to risk upsetting that by bringing in a controversial figure like Pogba.
As a result, a move to either the United States or Saudi certainly makes a lot of sense.
Latest Arsenal transfer news – Gunners eye Villa duo / Real Madrid star linked
Meanwhile, Arsenal are being linked with a raid on Aston Villa for young goalkeeper Oliwier Zych.
The 20-year-old is in the final year of his contract and is yet to agree terms on an extension. Per the Daily Telegraph, both the Gunners and Brighton are keen to lure the Pole down south, with Arteta reportedly rating him highly and seeing him as a long-term heir to veteran deputy goalkeeper Neto.
Elsewhere, the Gunners have been handed a boost in their quest to sign Alexander Isak amid claims he could seek to leave St James’ Park if the Magpies fail to secure European football this season.
Arsenal are also being linked with Jhon Duran, though Villa have placed a hugely-prohibitive price on the Colombian’s head.
A more ambitious link has seen the Gunners mentioned as suitors for Real Madrid’s Brazilian star Rodrygo, with the Gunners ready to go head to head with Liverpool for his signature and amid a belief that the Spanish giants are ready to sell.
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