A massive wage cut has reportedly been imposed on Paul Pogba amid another doping test failure.
The midfielder has endured a dramatic decline in his career since rejoining Juventus last season.
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His fairytale return to Turin has been marred by a number of issues, including exhaustive injuries that saw him record just 161 minutes of game time in the 2022/23 campaign, as well as a witchcraft and extortion scandal involving his brother Mathias Pogba.
His doping case is now his most prevalent issue, with a test last month showing he had too much testosterone in his system, and the midfielder subsequently being suspended from all football-related activities by Italy's anti-doping commission.
The ex-Manchester United star requested for his test sample to be analysed again in the hope that there may have been an error the first time around, and therefore clear his name.
However, the follow-up test yielded the same result last week, and the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner could now be slapped with a four-year ban from football and his Bianconeri contract could be terminated.
In the interim, Pogba has been removed from the club's first team and is unable to communicate with team staff too.
According to 90min, matters have become increasingly worse for the player as his annual salary has been reduced to just €42 177 (R858 580) a year, despite being on a contract worth €10 million (R203 million) per annum.
His new salary is said to be the minimum wage for footballers in Italy, as stipulated in the country's Collective Agreement with the Italian Association of Footballers.
Meanwhile, France boss Didier Deschamps has admitted he is sad to see the 30-year-old fight for his career like this.
"(Juventus boss Massimiliano) Allegri is particularly sad for Paul, as am I too, a lot of things have fallen on his head lately," the Les Bleus tactician said, per Tribal Football.
"He finds himself in a complicated situation. He will defend himself. He will have to defend himself, this does part of a long procedure.
"It all started with the doping test. I don't know what tomorrow holds for him, but what's happening to him is sad for him.
"I'll not have a categorical or radical position. I don't know what his future will be like, it will take time. Even if he hasn't been with us for a while.
"I hope for him that he finds his smile again, the full possession of his means, that he will find the pitch again, but it will take time."
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