Fulham midfielder Andreas Pereira has sent a cheeky message to Paul Pogba as speculation grows over the former Manchester United star returning to the Premier League.
Pereira joined the Cottagers from United in July 2022 for a little over £10million. However, according to his social media activity, he’s now eyeing up a reunion with Pogba. In response to a Sky Sports Instagram post asking fans, “Which player should your club sign in January?”, Pereira tagged Pogba and added the eyes emoji, immediately sparking rumours of the Frenchman’s return.
Pogba, who had two stints at United, left to rejoin Juventus in the summer of 2022 after a difficult spell at Old Trafford. However, after testing positive for elevated testosterone levels, he was banned from the game for four years. He is eligible to return to action in March following his suspension being reduced to 18 months.
Jose Mourinho re-signed Pogba for United in a deal worth nearly £90m, with the star’s mega-money move preceding what was meant to be a new period of success for United post-Sir Alex Ferguson. Instead, six years of managerial fallouts, disputes with team-mates and moments of tension with United fans followed.
Nevertheless, his middling time at the club was punctuated with fleeting moments of brilliance. Pogba then returned to Juventus on a four-year deal after former manager Erik ten Hag deemed him surplus to requirements. Unfortunately for the midfielder, his second spell in Turin was beset by injury.
His career took a turn for the worse when he was banned from football for four years. The midfielder tested positive for DHEA, a banned substance that boosts endogenous testosterone. Pogba and his camp have always maintained innocence and that the taking of any prohibited substance was never intentional.
In a statement, he said: “I have today been informed of the Tribunale Nazionale Antidoping’s decision and believe that the verdict is incorrect.
“I am sad, shocked and heartbroken that everything I have built in my professional playing career has been taken away from me. When I am free of legal restrictions, the full story will become clear, but I have never knowingly or deliberately taken any supplements that violate anti-doping regulations.”
Pereira has been at Fulham since his move from the Red Devils in 2022 and has already been the subject of transfer speculation. The Cottagers recently rejected a bid from Brazilian side Palmeiras for the midfielder, with Fulham competing for a European spot this term.
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