Can Pogba help Juventus climb back to the top of Serie A?

Paul Pogba returned to Juventus on a free transfer from Manchester United last summer at the conclusion of his contract, however, he is yet to be seen in the famous black-and-white stripes since that move.

Of course, many will know how well he fits that shirt having been at the Serie A club between 2012 and 2016, but since his move almost nine months ago, he is yet to get back on the pitch for the Bianconeri.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup winner has been struggling with a knee injury that required further treatment and has since seen him sidelined. However, it does appear as though the midfielder will be able to get out on the grass in front of fans imminently.

But will his return come at a timely moment for Juventus? Or has it come a little too late?

Juventus have struggled big time.

Massimiliano Allegri’s side have struggled badly this season, and their form has been nothing short of disastrous at times. The Serie A side are typically among the candidates to win the league and a favourite with betting enthusiasts who like to use the best sports betting bonuses on Italian football, however they have been far off the pace.

Despite the manager being in his second spell with the club after being incredibly successful the first time around – winning 70% of his matches between 2014 and 2019 and capturing five Scudettos, four Coppa Italia titles, and two Supercoppa Italiana trophies – he has not been able to reach those heights once again.

Juventus are on a run.

As of writing, Juventus are eighth in the table after 23 played. They have been resurgent in recent weeks, as they have put together a run of wins. They have managed 14 wins thus far out of the 23 played, with five draws and four defeats, therefore accounting for the 32 points earned. Nonetheless, they remain 13 points behind Lazio in the hunt for the final UEFA Champions League spot, while being a total of 23 points behind Napoli at the top of Serie A.

However, could Pogba’s return be something that the club could benefit from in the final stretch of the season?

Impact of Pogba’s return remains to be seen

Naturally, there will be several people that will be looking forward to seeing Pogba making his second debut at Juventus and seeing what he can bring to the pitch. Indeed, many of the Bianconeri faithful would certainly be hoping he can have the same impact as he did in his first stint with the club.

Before returning to Manchester United for a then-world-record £89m in 2016, the midfielder was an integral part of Allegri’s side. He managed 34 goals in his 178 appearances across all competitions and provided plenty more in the middle of the pitch as he won four Serie A titles during his time at the club. He had involvement in 66 goal contributions in total, the most of any player at the same time.

However, with the player having missed so much football, there will be some concerns he will be the same player he was in the past. Hopefully, once he does return to the team and get back on the pitch, he will show everyone the exact same type of performances he produced the last time he was playing in Italy’s top division with Juventus.