(Reuters) -Paul Pogba, who has not played a competitive match since September 2023, could make his debut for AS Monaco soon, manager Sebastien Pocognoli said, stressing the need to temper expectations ahead of the midfielder's return.
The former Juventus and Manchester United player joined Ligue 1 club Monaco on a free transfer in June.
The 32-year-old was handed a four-year ban in February 2024 after testing positive for DHEA, which boosts testosterone levels.
The suspension was cut to 18 months after a successful appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
"For the moment, things are going well, I expect it to be a short time before he's back in the squad," Pocognoli said on Tuesday. "When he returns, we'll need to work together to assess him as a player."
"The Paul of Manchester United or his first period at Juventus dates back several years now," he said. "Every player evolves according to their age and experience, so we'll have to judge him based on his background and his age."
"From what I see, he still possesses the technique we know he has. The rhythm of the matches will give us some answers. He can be the best version of himself at AS Monaco; in any case, it will be my role to try and guide him towards that level."
Monaco, sixth in the league standings, faces Nantes later on Wednesday.
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus)
