Juventus re-sign Pogba on free transfer from Manchester United

Paul Pogba is heading back to Italy.

Juventus announced the French midfielder’s return Monday on a free transfer, six years after selling him to Manchester United for a then-world record €105-million fee.

Pogba agreed to a four-year contract worth a reported €8 million after tax per season. That’s well below the estimated €17.65 million he was earning before tax with the Red Devils.

The 29-year-old initially left United for Juventus in 2012 for around €1 million. Playing alongside Andrea Pirlo, Claudio Marchisio, and Arturo Vidal, Pogba developed into one of the game’s most dominant box-to-box midfielders, helping Juventus win four of their nine consecutive Serie A titles between 2012 and 2020. He also started in the team that lost to Barcelona in the 2015 Champions League final in Berlin.

He’ll find a different team upon his return to Turin. Massimiliano Allegri, who coached Pogba during his first stint at Juventus, is back on the bench, but the team at his disposal is reeling from the club’s first trophyless season in a decade. Former teammates Giorgio Chiellini and Paulo Dybala are also leaving Juventus after long spells with the Bianconeri.

Pogba is expected to play in a three-man midfield with Manuel Locatelli and Denis Zakaria. Arthur, Weston McKennie, and Adrien Rabiot are also options in midfield.

Pogba faces his own recovery. He missed 72 games over the last three seasons due to hamstring and ankle injuries, according to transfermarkt.com, and last played competitively in a 4-0 loss to Liverpool in April.