Why Marseille did not make a move to recruit Paul Pogba during the transfer window
Why Marseille did not make a move to recruit Paul Pogba during the transfer window
Juventus’ Paul Pogba controls the ball during an Italian Cup soccer match between Internazionale and Juventus, at the Giuseppe Meazza San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, April 26, 2023. (Spada/LaPresse via AP, File)
AC Milan’s Ismael Bennacer controls the ball during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Milan at Rome’s Olympic stadium, Friday, March 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
Juventus’ Paul Pogba controls the ball during an Italian Cup soccer match between Internazionale and Juventus, at the Giuseppe Meazza San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, April 26, 2023. (Spada/LaPresse via AP, File)
Juventus’ Paul Pogba controls the ball during an Italian Cup soccer match between Internazionale and Juventus, at the Giuseppe Meazza San Siro Stadium, in Milan, Italy, April 26, 2023. (Spada/LaPresse via AP, File)
AC Milan’s Ismael Bennacer controls the ball during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Milan at Rome’s Olympic stadium, Friday, March 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
AC Milan’s Ismael Bennacer controls the ball during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Lazio and Milan at Rome’s Olympic stadium, Friday, March 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)
MARSEILLE, France (AP) — There was a lot of speculation during the winter transfer window that Paul Pogba would relaunch his career at Marseille.
The Ligue 1 club’s president Pablo Longoria praised the former Juventus and Manchester United midfielder as an extraordinary player and others at the club, including France international Adrien Rabiot, lobbied for Pogba.
But Marseille bought someone else.
Once one of the world’s top midfielders, Pogba’s headlines in recent years have been more for his off-field problems than his on-field abilities.
Juventus “mutually agreed” with Pogba last year to cancel his contract despite the 2018 World Cup winner having a ban for doping slashed. The Serie A club never seemed overly enthusiastic about welcoming him back after his four-year doping ban was reduced to 18 months following an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Pogba will be free to resume his career in March.
Asked on RMC radio why he did not make a move to hire Pogba, Longoria said his suspension until March was a factor.
“When I talk about Paul, I’m always talking about someone I really like,” he said. “I had the pleasure of working with him at Juventus and I have enormous respect for him. It’s true that there are circumstances, with a sporting sanction until March, in which you have to try to maximize how you can end the season well with your short-term economic resources.”
Would Pogba be a good fit?
Marseille has been Paris Saint-Germain’s main rival this season in Ligue 1. The nine-time French champion is in second place, 10 points behind PSG after 20 matches, and with a three-point lead over Monaco.
Marseille, the only French club to win the Champions League 32 years ago, has ambition to return to Europe’s top tournament next season.
”What is the advantage of picking a player with his international experience and footballing ability?” Longoria posed. “At the same time, you have to consider the balance of the squad and the sporting dynamic. I wasn’t in favor of making a lot of changes in a positive dynamic. The important thing is to give continuity to a good sporting dynamic, and at the same time you have to keep an eye on the economic situation.”
Marseille added two players in the final hours of the transfer window on Monday night. It secured Algeria midfielder Ismael Bennacer from AC Milan on loan with an option to make the deal permanent, and signed Salzburg defender Amar Dedic. The Bosnia and Herzegovina player also joined on loan.
Marseille previously signed in the window center back Luiz Felipe and winger Amine Gouiri.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer