France head coach Didier Deschamps has thrown his support behind Paul Pogba, insisting that the ex-Manchester United star can reach the top of his game again, despite Pogba's struggle to find a new club following his doping ban.
The World Cup-winning midfielder recently completed an 18-month suspension for consuming a banned substance that resulted in elevated testosterone levels. Initially slapped with a four-year ban, the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced the sentence after concluding the infraction "was not intentional."
Having celebrated his 32nd birthday on Saturday, Pogba was given the green light to resume playing last week, although he had been permitted to train with potential teams since the start of the year. Yet, he remains without a club as contract negotiations continue with his suitors.
Speculation about a possible return to United has simmered down, and recent reports have linked him with a move to Major League Soccer, possibly to David Beckham's Inter Miami.
Pogba is eager to don the French jersey once more, and Deschamps seems open to the idea, provided Pogba can demonstrate his fitness and form at club level.
"He's supposed to be able to play again, but he doesn't have a club. We're talking, and I won't tell you the details," Deschamps disclosed, speaking before France's UEFA Nations League quarter-final clash with Croatia next week.
"Paul Pogba certainly has the ability and the right mentality to regain his top form. It's not something that can be rushed, but at the moment he is still weighing up his options."
Pogba has been posting training videos on social media accompanied by enigmatic captions, prompting some speculation that he is capable of returning to Old Trafford for the third time in his career.
However, Ruben Amorim was warned not to pursue the midfielder by ex-United star Mikael Silvestre. He told yaysweepstakes.com: "I wouldn't be tempted to sign Paul Pogba on a free transfer if I was Manchester United.
"I like Paul a lot, but I wouldn't because it's goingto be expensive, and you don't know, physically, how long it's going to takehim to get up match fitness. Even though he's been out of the game for 18months, before his ban, he wasn't really playing that much at Juventus. He'shad a couple of injuries.
"It's too big of a risk. If you were signing him and hewas in peak fitness, he had been playing regular football, with a perfect bodyand mind, then it would be a no-brainer. but, after what he's been through aswell, it's extremely difficult for him. I wouldn't be in favour of ManchesterUnited bringing him back to the club again."
This article originally appeared on Mirror