Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has backed Paul Pogba to snub Saudi Arabian club Al-Ittihad and fight for his place at Juventus.

Former Manchester United midfielder Pogba returned to Juventus as a free agent in the summer of 2022. Unfortunately, the Frenchman endured a series of niggling injuries, which kept him from playing regularly for the Bianconeri. Over the 2022-23 campaign, the 2018 FIFA World Cup winner only appeared in 10 matches in all competitions, providing a solitary assist.

Paul Pogba linked with Saudi Arabia transfer

Pogba worked hard over the summer and finally returned to the fold in Juventus 1-1 draw with Bologna on August 27. He made another appearance off the bench against Empoli, playing for 28 minutes as Juve bagged a straightforward 2-0 victory. Despite the central midfielder pushing to regain his fitness and become an important player in Turin, reports have continued to link him with a move away from the club.

Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport recently credited Saudi Pro League sides Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahli with an interest in Pogba. The report claimed that while Pogba was more inclined to stay, the Serie A giants would be open to the move, considering his injury history and sky-high wages.

Renowned Italian journalist Romano, however, has debunked Pogba exit rumors, saying that he fully expects the midfielder to remain at Juve and continue fighting for his place. In his column on Caught Offside Substack, Romano stated:

“I also want to clear up rumours about Paul Pogba and a move to Al Ittihad – Juventus have not received any approach for Pogba, many times we heard these stories on Paul this summer but it was never true or concrete.

“I expect Pogba to stay and fight for his place at Juventus.”

Pogba can be an asset for Juventus

With Inter Milan, AC Milan, and Napoli all growing in stature, Juventus need someone who can give them an advantage in tricky encounters. And there is hardly anyone more qualified for the job than Pogba. The gifted midfielder is unplayable at his best, capable of creating chances out of thin air, dominating play in the middle, and scoring sensational goals. If Juve can keep him fit, they could very well have an edge in the Serie A race this season.

During his previous spell between 2012 and 2016, Pogba played 178 games for Juve across competitions, scoring 34 times and providing 40 assists. His exploits helped Juve to four consecutive Serie A titles and two Coppa Italia, amongst other honors.