Wayne Rooney’s immediate reaction to Paul Pogba’s return to football with Monaco, ‘he had everything to be…’

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney was asked for his verdict on the long-awaited return of Paul Pogba to football after his former teammate’s Monaco debut.

Wayne Rooney played alongside Paul Pogba at Old Trafford and the former Manchester United striker spoke about the French midfielder on his podcast.

Pogba, who left United for the second time in 2022, had signed for French outfit Monaco back in the summer as a free agent after his exit from Juventus in 2024.

The 32-year-old former United star had been out of action since 2023 after Pogba served a football ban for a doping offence that occurred during his time at Juventus.

Pogba’s suspension from football had initially been four years before it was reduced to two after a successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2024.

The former France international’s return to football with Monaco had been delayed due to an injury setback, but Pogba was subbed on in the second half last weekend.

Pogba took the place of Mamadou Coulibaly in the 85th minute and saw out the remainder of the match with 10-man Monaco at the Roazhon Park in Rennes

Speaking on BBC Sport’s The Wayne Rooney Show, the United legend said: “Yeah, no, he’s a good lad, Paul, and great to see him back playing.

“So, yeah, he’s a player, Pogba, who we’ve seen him as a kid in [the] Man Utd academy.

“He’d come up and train with us a few times, and you just look at him, he had everything to be a top player.

“He’s obviously gone on, won the World Cup and won big trophies and the last few years have been frustrating for him, but yeah, no, great to see him back.”