manchestereveningnews.co.uk

Paul Pogba denied Mason Greenwood Man United reunion with transfer'close'

Manchester United transfer news as Paul Pogba closes in on his long-awaited return to football but will miss out on the chance of a United reunion

Mason Greenwood celebrates with Paul Pogba

Paul Pogba won't be reuniting with Mason Greenwood at Marseille

(Image: Getty Images)

Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba looks set to miss out on the chance of reuniting with Mason Greenwood at Marseille with the 32-year-old closing in on a return to football.

Pogba is now eligible to return to professional football following the conclusion of his ban. The former United star tested positive for the banned substance DHEA and was later released by Juventus.

The Frenchman has been linked with a host of teams, including a shock second return to Old Trafford, but a move to Ligue 1 side AS Monaco appears to be close to being completed.

Previously, a move to Marseille had been mooted with the opportunity to link-up with former United teammate Greenwood. However, it's understood that Roberto De Zerbi's team have not made an official proposal for Pogba due to a number of reasons.

Marseille already have a large pool of midfield options with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's loan move being made permanent and Ismael Bennacer set to follow him. Geoffrey Kondogbia, Adrien Rabiot, Valentin Rongier and Bilal Nadir all make up De Zerbi's midfield options.

And according to French outlet RMC Sport, Marseille's other concern surrounded Pogba's fitness. It's said that they were not convinced that the midfielder would be in the shape necessary to play and be successful.

Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and Paul Pogba celebrate Manchester United's first goal against Leeds in 2021

Bruno Fernandes, Mason Greenwood and Paul Pogba celebrate Manchester United's first goal against Leeds in 2021

A move to Monaco, which hasn't yet been made official, will see Pogba compete in France for the first time in his career. The 32-year-old previously represented Le Havre at youth level before moving to England in 2009.

It does also mean that he won't add to the 71 games played with Greenwood during their time at Old Trafford. The attacker moved to France last summer after United decided he had no future at the club.

Here at the Manchester Evening News, we're dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester United coverage and analysis.

Make sure you don't miss out on the latest United news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.

You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day's biggest stories.

And finally, if you'd rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Manchester is Red podcast, featuring The Samuel Luckhurst Show and The Midweek Debate. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts , and you can also watch along on YouTube .

Read full news in source page