Revealed: The ‘reason why Paul Pogba did NOT sign for Marseille’ last month – as Roberto De Zerbi lifts lid on club’s decision to snub midfielder

Roberto De Zerbi has revealed why Marseille abandoned their attempts to sign Paul Pogba in January.

The former Manchester United midfielder is a free agent after leaving Juventus by mutual consent back in November.

The Frenchman remains suspended from football for doping violations, but is free to return to competitive action next month after the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced his four-year ban to 18 months.

A return to his homeland looked on the cards as ex-Brighton boss De Zerbi expressed an interest in bringing Pogba to Marseille, insisting that he would ‘try to make space’ for the World Cup winner.

However, the arrival of a former Arsenal midfielder closed the book on a move for Pogba, with Marseille instead snapping up Ismael Bennacer from AC Milan.

De Zerbi put haste to speculation that Pogba’s arrival would have brought turmoil to the dressing room, instead citing different reasons for why the club didn’t send a contract offer the 31-year-old’s way

‘No one could change the balance in the dressing room – no one will destabilise it as long as I am the manager. That was not the problem,’ De Zerbi said.

‘Pogba is a really great player but you have to understand where we could use him once he was available to play, in what role and in what position. The more champions we have, the happier I will be. It was not that.

‘It was a general evaluation and perhaps it will change but for now, the decision (not to sign Pogba in January) was taken for numerous reasons.’

De Zerbi has made no secret of his desire to sign ‘champions’ to Marseille for the Ligue 1 giants, who have not won a league title since former club captain Didier Deschamps led them to glory in 2010.

Pogba seemed to fit the bill of that category of player, having lifted four Serie A titles and a Europa League during his time at Juventus and Man United – as well as starring during France’s the famous World Cup win of 2018.

However, the opportunity to sign former Serie A and Africa Cup of Nations champion Bennacer, 27, was too good to pass up.

The Algerian, who never registered a senior appearance at Arsenal, has long garnered the admiration of De Zerbi, who wanted to sign him for Brighton when Moises Caicedo jumped ship to Chelsea in 2023.

He said: ‘I wanted him to come when Moises Caicedo went to Chelsea. It is a big transfer for us. His characteristics suit our style of play.

‘He is a complete player, a top player and another one for us. He really wanted to come to Marseille. 

‘We already spoke about him in August, but we didn’t manage to conclude it. When Medhi Benatia told me that there was the possibility to do it, we stopped the music.’