Paul Pogba is a Juventus player once more and claims he "can't wait to win trophies again” having failed to do so in five of his six seasons with Manchester United.
The 29-year-old will now begin his second stint in Turin, making the move from Old Trafford for the second time in his career. At the age of 19, Pogba opted to leave United for Juve - only to return four years later in a club-record deal worth £89million.
Having become one of the best midfield players on the planet during his time in Italian football, the academy graduate was expected to be the centrepiece of a dominant United side under the stewardship of Jose Mourinho.
And his return got off to a decent start, winning the EFL Cup and Europa League in his first campaign, but those trophies in 2017 would be his only ones back in a United shirt. He endured a difficult and tempestuous relationship with Mourinho and while it was significantly calmer under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, consistency still eluded the midfielder.
But while his club form faltered, on the international stage he remained one of the world’s most accomplished players, playing a pivotal role in France’s World Cup-winning campaign in Russia in 2018.
However, despite the occasional bright spark and run of good form, Pogba remained a divisive character at The Theatre of the Dreams. Reports that he wanted to leave the club came as little surprise and the fact he does so as a free agent for the second time will leave an even more bitter taste in the mouth.
But for Pogba and Juventus it’s the rekindling of a magical relationship which saw the player lift the Serie A title in each of his four seasons with the Old Lady. And having finally completed his move, signing a lucrative four-year contract, he told supporters that he is desperate to be in the mix for major silverware once again.
In a video posted on social media, he said: "As you can see, I'm back and I'm very happy - I can't wait to start with you and win trophies again. We'll be there on the pitch in the stadium, all together."
And the club are just as happy to have their old star back with them, posting an emotional statement after his deal was announced. "When we say goodbye after an intense adventure shared together, there is always a glimmer of hope that we will see each other again, sooner or later.
“With Paul it was just like that. In 2016 our paths separated after 4 incredible years. Years in which that talented young French boy of less than 20 years made his debut in the First Team, and after less than a month he scored his first goal.
“Years in which we had learned to hold our breath every time we saw him load the shot from outside: we knew how it could end, and often ended in a roar of joy, to be precise, from outside the area, Paul scored 14 times in 4 seasons of Serie A.
“Years in which Pogba became a crazy champion, winning a lot in the black and white jersey, touching the Champions League in 2015, providing 12 assists in his last season in Turin, leaving with a total of 34 goals, which with his 32 assists saw him become a protagonist with 66 total involvements.
"He left as a boy and returns as a man and a champion, but there is one thing that has not changed - the desire to write unforgettable pages of club history together once more. Pogba is back and we couldn't be happier."
