TURIN, Italy — Paul Pogba is set to part ways with Juventus next month following a mutual agreement to terminate his contract. The announcement was made by the club on Friday, coming despite the recent reduction of his doping ban from four years to 18 months after an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport last month.

The Serie A team showed little enthusiasm about Pogba’s return after his provisional suspension. Now 31, Pogba will be eligible to restart his playing career in March 2025. He previously mentioned his willingness to forgo financial recompense to don the Juventus jersey again. Juventus confirmed the contract termination with a statement saying, “Juventus Football Club and Paul Pogba announce that they have reached a mutual agreement for the termination of their contract as of 30 November, 2024. The club wishes Paul the very best for his professional future.”

Pogba faced the maximum suspension from Italy’s anti-doping court after testing positive for testosterone in August of last year. However, his ban was lessened after judges from CAS acknowledged that there was no intent to dope, attributing his positive test to a misguided supplement that had been prescribed by a medical professional in Florida.

Pogba, whose contract was originally slated to run until June 2026, expressed his sentiments about leaving the club. “My time at Juventus has come to an end. It has been a privilege to pull on the shirt of the Bianconeri and to share so many special memories together,” he stated. He reflected on the emotional connections formed during his tenure and thanked the global Juventus community for their ongoing support, especially during his challenging times over the last year.

Having once held the record as the most expensive soccer player when he transferred from Juventus to Manchester United for €105 million ($113 million) in 2016, Pogba played a key role in France’s World Cup win in 2018. He returned to Juventus as a free agent in 2022, but his second stint with the club was marred by injuries, limiting him to only eight Serie A games before his suspension.

Pogba concluded by expressing optimism for the future, stating he is eager to embrace the next chapter of his career and stepping onto the field with his next team.