David De Gea has revealed that the tried to persuade Paul Pogba to join Fiorentina, but the Frenchman snubbed a return to Italy by joining Ligue 1 side, Monaco.
Why Did Paul Pogba Join Monaco?
The former Juventus midfielder has been through a torrid time in recent years, missing over two-years of action following a failed drugs test in August 2023.
Pogba allegedly tested positive for DHEA, a known banned substance in soccer and multiple sports, which eventually led to the Frenchman being suspended on a provisional basis.
Following a thorough investigation, the 2018 World Cup winner was given a stunning four-year ban by the Italian National Anti-Doping Tribunal and was banned from any competition between September 2023-2027.
Obviously, the former Manchester United star took great offence to this and claimed he did not take any banned substance intentionally, submitting an appeal to the Court of Arbitration of Sport.
His plea was successful and Pogba eventually saw his ban decrease to 18-months, meaning he could return to the sport in March of this year – signing for Monaco on the opening day of July.
The Frenchman was released by Juventus in December 2024 due to the uncertainty around his ban, but Serie A betting sites had the Old Lady as favorites to sign Pogba after serving his time away.
Across his two-spells in Italy, the global superstar made 190 appearances for Juve, but his second-run with the club only added 12 of these across two seasons after a tough time with injuries.
Many have questioned why Pogba decided to join Monaco with multiple clubs around Europe showing interest in the 32-year-old and it is believed that the Frenchman chose a move to Ligue 1 to completely revive his career in his home nation.
Saudi Arabia had reportedly offered a huge deal for the French superstar and another interested party came in the form of Fiorentina, as David De Gea revealed that he messaged Pogba and asked his former Man United teammate to sign for the Serie A side.
What Did De Gea Say To Paul Pogba Over Fiorentina Move?
During their time together in Manchester, David De Gea and Paul Pogba made 184 appearances together, winning the Carabao Cup and Europa League along the way.
The Spanish shot-stopper left the club in the 2023 summer transfer window, ending a 12-year career at Old Trafford and became the number one in Florence the following year.
De Gea has become somewhat of a cult-hero during his time in Italy, showing signs of the player that was regarded as the best goalkeeper in the world between 2015-2018.
The Spaniard came close to strengthening his relationship with the Fiorentina fan-base in this summer window, as De Gea revealed that he asked Paul Pogba to ‘come to Fiorentina’.
De Gea said: “I wrote to him: ‘Come on, come to Fiorentina’. I hope he returns to playing well, he’s really strong. Physically, among the best I’ve ever seen.
“I was sorry about what happened to him. I hope he returns to being the complete and strong footballer we’ve all seen. He’s a good guy. Always cheerful, always dancing.”
Obviously this did not come to fruition, but Fiorentina have still managed to make some big signings this summer, adding Serie A icon and prolific goalscorer, Edin Dzeko.
The Bosnian signed from Fenerbhace and Dzeko immediately made his presence known, issuing a warning to Moise Kean about how much the Italian needs to improve.
Kean had been linked with a move away from the Serie A side after scoring 19 league goals, however, his $58 million release clause expired on July 16th and shut down any links of a transfer this summer.
