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Pogba on life under Mourinho at Man Utd: “I fell into depression without even realising it”
Former Manchester United and Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is a free agent after finishing his suspension for allegedly taking a prohibited performance-enhancing substance.
The France international was linked with moves to Marseille, the Saudi Pro League, and Major League Soccer following his return, but no club took the punt on his services.
In the meantime, Pogba has been doing media rounds and reflecting on his career. He has had his ups and downs. The latter started during his ill-fated second spell at Man Utd, where a clash with then-gaffer Jose Mourinho left him frustrated and depressed.
Pogba left Old Trafford and established himself at Juventus but returned to Manchester for a then-world-record fee of around €105 million (£89.3 million). Mourinho and the 32-year-old clashed at several junctions.
“I didn’t understand what was happening,” Pogba said (via GQ France). “I was a key player, and suddenly, I was on the bench. There was no communication. I couldn’t talk. I wasn’t happy, and a footballer who isn’t happy can’t perform well.”
“I fell into depression without even realising it,” he says. “Nobody teaches you what depression is. Until one day, I started getting bald spots in my scalp. I didn’t understand what it was. They told me it was stress.”
In the end, his return to Man Utd ended up leaving a bitter taste, and he would go back to Juventus on a free transfer. In Italy, news broke out that he was being extorted and blackmailed by a ring of friends and his own brother.
There was no let up for Pogba as the drug ban immediately followed, and even though he managed to appeal the initial four-year sentence down to 18 months, his reputation and playing career took a massive hit that will be hard to recover from.
In the interview, Pogba said he has offers from all over. However, he is taking his time to decide on the next step in his career.
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