Paul Pogba has seen his salary slashed by Juventus after the World Cup winner was found guilty of taking a performance-enhancing drug.
The former Manchester United midfielder has been handed a four-year ban that effectively ends his career as a professional footballer, although he has announced his intention to appeal the sentence.
Until then, Pogba, who was once the most expensive footballer in the world when Man Utd paid Juventus €105 million for him in 2016, faces the prospect of living on a normal wage.
Marca reports: “His salary has been drastically reduced and no longer impacts the Juventus accounts: from the €8 million net plus bonus that he signed per season to €2,000 euros net per month.
“It is estimated that the appeal will extend the process by six or seven months, and while the Frenchman will continue, in a certain way, to be linked to Juve he cannot enter their training ground or work with his team-mates.”
The average Italian earns just over €2,900 per month, putting Pogba’s hellish fall into context.
Ferdinand offers Pogba advice
Fellow former Manchester United player Rio Ferdinand, who was banned for eight months after missing a drugs test in 2003, has advised Pogba how he should approach this challenge.
Speaking in his podcast ‘Rio Ferdinand Presents FIVE’ he said: “I am well placed to sit here and chat about this because I have been through this,’ Ferdinand said. I am not going to jump in straight away and say he is guilty as I have been in this position and I know Paul, I need to hear from him and see some facts.
“I was told by my lawyers and the club, to let the lawyers deal with it and let it run its course and hope they do the right thing by you. If I had my time again and I was Paul Pogba now and I’m innocent, I’m chatting, I’m telling the people this is what happened.
“I think he needs to speak – whether they think it messes up the court case or not – they have given him a four-year ban, I don’t think it will be two if he appeals because these people will want to make sure they get their amount of blood. He has to look after himself here.”
