Paul Pogba faces a race against time to be fit for the 2022 World Cup after it was confirmed he will return from injury just 10 days before the first ball is kicked in Qatar. The Frenchman joined Juventus for a second this summer after departing Manchester United but saw his sensational return ruined by an injury in pre-season. Pogba originally opted for a shorter and riskier treatment as he attempted to get substantial playing minutes under his belt in Italy but changed his mind after and underwent surgery last week.

The midfielder is being forced to undergo eight weeks of rehabilitation following surgery before he is able to return to first-team training in Turin, and may not return until Juventus travel to Verona on November 10, according to Get French Football News. The 29-year-old’s rest period would see him given the green light to return to training on October 31 but would need weeks to get up to competitive match fitness.

French national team manager Didier Deschamps will need to submit his squad for the winter World Cup by November 13, meaning Pogba could be forced to miss out on the chance to defend his country’s status as world champions. However Deschamps is said to value Pogba’s contribution to the squad dynamic so much that he is considering taking the superstar to the tournament regardless of his fitness.

The ex-Man United midfielder is said to have ‘special status’ within the national team set-up and is likely to be on the plane to Qatar this winter.  The manager is expected to utilise his full 26-man squad as the World Cup holders embark on their middle-eastern journey against Australia in their opening game on November 22 later this year.