Tottenham ‘ace wanted’ as Pogba faces having deal ripped up after positive test
Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg would reportedly be the player Juventus will target on a short-term deal following news that Paul Pogba has returned a positive result in his counter-analysis ‘B sample’. The Dane is out of favour at Spurs and could be in line for a move to Turin in January.
Pogba was provisionally suspended in September when he returned a positive drug test. The former Manchester United star faced a ban of up to four years.
He vowed to clear his name and asked for a counter-analysis to take place to prove his innocence. But that has also come back positive for a prohibited substance.
Pogba now faces major uncertainty over his future. Injuries mean he has made just 12 appearances for Juventus since rejoining the Serie A club on a free transfer last summer.
There is now a possibility he has already played his last match for the Old Lady. Italian outlet TuttoMercatoWeb says it is ‘very probable’ Juventus will tear up the remainder of Pogba’s contract, which still has over two-and-a-half years to run.
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The money freed up by Pogba’s wages could be used to sign a replacement in January. The same report says that Tottenham’s Hojbjerg ‘would be the one’ Juve look to target.
Hojbjerg has fallen down the pecking order at Spurs under new boss Ange Postecglou. The Denmark star is yet to start a Premier League match this season, coming on as a substitute in all but one of them.
Hojbjerg will enter the final 18 months of his contract at the beginning of January and Juve could offer him a way out. Postecoglou recently praised the 28-year-old for his attitude while out of the starting XI.
He said: “Pierre would of course like to play more, but as the team is set up, it is difficult for him at the moment to get into it. That hasn’t stopped him from working hard in training and to be fair, he’s been on the pitch in every game so far.
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“We still need him and I think he made a difference when he came on today. He is still part of the team and we need a strong squad.
“Since the squad is not that wide, I’m sure Pierre will play more. But I can’t put a finger on his professionalism. He works hard every day and he is ready to make a difference.”
Pogba, meanwhile, is still hoping to avoid a long-term ban. The Times reports that he did not test positive for testosterone but instead DHEA, a substance that boosts naturally produced testosterone.
DHEA is still on the WADA banned list and carries a maximum ban of four years. But an explanation into why it was found in Pogba’s system could lead to a reduced suspension.
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