Monaco have terminated Paul Pogba's contract after just six appearances, the club announced on Wednesday. The French midfielder joined the Ligue 1 side on a free transfer last summer following a difficult period with Juventus.
Pogba had returned to the Italian giants after leaving Manchester United but saw his spell ruined by injury, as well as a four-year doping ban. That suspension was eventually reduced to 18 months upon appeal.
Contract terminated by mutual agreement
He joined Monaco in an effort to relaunch his career but having made just six appearances across his debut season, he has had his contract terminated and once again finds himself without a club.
A statement from Monaco read: "Having jointly concluded that the objectives initially set were only partially achieved, AS Monaco and Paul Pogba have decided, ahead of the first match of the new season, to bring an end to the contract that was due to run until June 2027.
"The Club would like to express its heartfelt gratitude to the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner for the trust he placed in the institution and for the utmost professionalism he demonstrated throughout his time in Monaco.
Wife defends Pogba against retirement calls
Monaco's announcement over Pogba's exit comes just days after his wife Zulay hit out at suggestions that the midfielder should retire.
She said: "For all the people saying Paul should retire or he came back to football for the money, let me make this clear, the only one who knows when he will retire is God.
"And for the ones who say he came back for the money, trust me we are very good with money, thank God.
"Social media accepts everything. People can sit behind a screen and say whatever they want, insult someone, question their intentions and forget that there is an actual human being on the other side.
"For those questioning what he has left to prove, let me remind you he achieved the dream every footballer in the world grows up chasing, dreaming to have. He won the World Cup for his country."
