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Claim: A viral Facebook blog post claims that France international Paul Pogba’s 18-month ban from football officially ended on Tuesday and that he is set to join Manchester City after negotiations with manager Pep Guardiola, with all terms allegedly agreed.

Verdict: False. Paul Pogba’s suspension ended in March 2025, not recently. There is no credible report confirming he is joining Manchester City. Verified sources instead indicate talks with AS Monaco, and no formal agreement has been reached with any club. 

Full Text

A viral post from a Facebook page published in June 2025 went viral on WhatsApp and Facebook, claiming that,

“BREAKING NEWS: France International Paul Pogba’s 18-month ban from football officially ended on Tuesday, and he is set to join Manchester City after negotiations with Pep Guardiola. All terms have been agreed upon for the player.”

The article linked readers to an unverified sports blog lacking bylines or references. Also, the claim gained traction online due to Pogba’s popularity and recent doping suspension. DUBAWA investigated to verify the accuracy of this claim.

Verification

Paul Pogba’s Suspension Status

Paul Pogba was handed a four-year ban in February 2024 for doping violations, following a positive test for testosterone in 2023. However, this sentence was reduced to 18 months upon appeal in early 2025, meaning the ban ended in March 2025, not “on Tuesday” as claimed in the post.

This was confirmed by La Gazzetta dello Sport and covered by major outlets, including Al Jazeera, Yahoo Sports, and ESPN.

Therefore, the timing of the claim is false, as Pogba’s eligibility to play football resumed months ago, not in June.

Manchester City Transfer Talk: No Evidence

There is no official statement or credible media report confirming that Paul Pogba has signed with Manchester City or agreed to terms with Pep Guardiola.

A previous article by The Sun reported that City had “sounded Pogba out” in late 2024 while he awaited the outcome of his appeal. However, that contact did not lead to formal negotiations, and Guardiola has not confirmed any new interest.

Paul Pogba turned down Manchester City in 2018, citing loyalty to Manchester United. BBC Sports and other outlets reported Guardiola’s failed attempt or refusal to sign him during his United years.

Currently, no deal with the City has been finalised, and no reliable outlet has reported that “all terms have been agreed upon.”

Current Club Negotiations Point Elsewhere

Instead of City, credible transfer reports confirm that Pogba is currently in talks with AS Monaco.

The post claiming Pogba has agreed on terms with Man City was attempting to mimic Fabrizio Romano’s style of updating transfers and using his name as a tag-along source. However, the claimant is not Fabrizio, and Fabrizio Romano has not reported on any such recent discussion between Pogba’s side and Manchester City. 

On the contrary, Fabrizio Romano, one of football’s most trusted sources on transfers, has reported on Monaco’s confidence and progress in signing Paul Pogba.

Goal.com and Bein Sport have also reported that Pogba has entered discussions with the Ligue 1 side.

According to ESPN, he is close to joining Monaco, and discussions are on the way for his next career move after completing his suspension. However, Manchester City is not mentioned as part of ongoing negotiations in any official sports outlet or transfer market. 

Conclusion

The claim that Paul Pogba’s 18-month suspension just ended and that he is joining Manchester City is false. His ban ended in March 2025, and he is currently exploring options, primarily with AS Monaco, not City. The viral post misrepresents both the timeline and the club involved. DUBAWA advises readers to verify sports claims through official club announcements and reputable sports journalism, especially when involving high-profile transfers.