Paul Pogba has revealed his admiration for former Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino. Pogba admitted that he has been left impressed by Minamino’s discipline and intelligence. The Frenchman, who has not played a competitive match since September 2023, joined AS Monaco in the summer of 2025 after serving a four-year doping ban.
Pogba, a 2018 World Cup winner with France, has endured a turbulent few years marred by injuries and suspensions. But Monaco offered him a fresh start this summer. The stylish midfielder has been training with the squad since July. Despite his presence on the training ground, Monaco head coach Adi Hutter confirmed that Pogba was not yet ready for match action.
While Pogba is working his way back to fitness, he has been training alongside Minamino, whose professionalism has left a lasting impression. Pogba said,
“Takumi is always the first one to arrive at training and the last to leave. I’ve never seen a player so disciplined yet enjoying football so much at the same time. That’s something I need to learn from him. When you watch him play, you can clearly see he’s always thinking on the pitch. He’s incredibly smart, and his movement shows just how deeply he understands the game.”
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With Monaco suffering a spate of midfield injuries, including the loss of captain Denis Zakaria, Pogba’s return to the pitch may be accelerated. Monaco manager Adi Hutter remains cautious but optimistic about his progress. He said, “Paul is doing well physically and mentally. He’s improving every day, but we will not rush him back just to fill numbers. We want him fully ready to help the team in the right way.”
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The expectation is that Pogba could finally make his competitive debut for Monaco after the October international break, should his recovery continue smoothly. His comeback could provide a major boost for a Monaco side balancing domestic ambitions with European competition. Learning from Japanese international Takumi Minamino may just prove to be the key to Pogba rediscovering his best form at Monaco.
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