REVEALED: Why Paul Pogba is still a free agent

Tom Weber

Updated: 8 Feb 2025 11:39 CST
3 min read

Roberto de Zerbi has revealed why Olympique de Marseille refused to sign Paul Pogba in January.

The French World Cup winner is still without a club despite being cleared to return to competitive football from March onwards. Pogba has had his four-year doping suspension reduced to 18 and he has been able to sign for and train with a new employer since January.

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However, precious little materialised in the bygone transfer window. There was no shortage of speculation, with Pogba linked with a blockbuster return to Man Utd and allegedly turning up at Man City's training ground, but nothing concrete actually happened.

Most prominently, Pogba was associated with a transfer to Marseille in Ligue 1. Club bosses repeatedly spoke about the midfielder and former France teammate Adrien Rabiot lobbied for his signature.

Ultimately, though, it was a similar story and Marseille refrained from actively negotiating with the 31-year-old. A transfer to France is now out of the question as Ligue 1 clubs can't register players between the January window and the end of the season.

De Zerbi on Pogba

Now, Marseille head coach Roberto de Zerbi, who previously called Pogba a 'champion' and insisted that he wanted champions in his team, has revealed exactly why his club did not sign the megastar.

“No one could change the balance in the dressing room – no one will destabilise it as long as I am the manager," he responded to suggestions that Pogba's big personality could upset squad chemistry.

"That was not the problem. Pogba is a really great player but you have to understand where we could use him once he was available to play, in what role and in what position.

"The more champions we have, the happier I will be. It was not that. It was a general evaluation and perhaps it will change but for now, the decision was taken for numerous reasons."

Marseille have a host of midfield options and signed Ismael Bennacer from AC Milan in January, so Pogba would have faced tough competition for minutes. Given his likely not-insignificant wage demands and lack of match fitness, signing him would have been a risk.