Fiorentina’s Albert Gudmundsson has been sidelined with a thigh injury, raising concerns for his immediate future, while at Juventus, Paul Pogba’s time at the club is also in jeopardy. Pogba, facing a possible exit after a doping suspension, is no longer in Juventus’ plans, with the club confirming their intention to part ways. Both players now face uncertain futures, with Gudmundsson’s recovery and Pogba’s potential departure dominating headlines.
Fiorentina’s Gudmundsson Sustains Thigh Injury
Fiorentina encountered an early blow in their match against Lecce at the Via del Mare stadium when Albert Gudmundsson, their number 10, picked up an injury just five minutes into the game. Coach Raffaele Palladino had to act quickly, replacing Gudmundsson with Beltran.
The Icelandic player experienced a strain in his right thigh flexor while sprinting, leading to the quick substitution. This injury has raised serious concerns for Palladino and the Fiorentina squad. The hope is that it isn’t a muscle tear, which would mean an extended period on the sidelines.
Gudmundsson is set to undergo medical tests in the next few hours to assess the full extent of his injury. It is highly likely that he will miss Fiorentina’s upcoming away match in the Conference League against St. Gallen. His availability for the following match against Roma is still unclear and will depend on the results of the tests.
This is Gudmundsson’s second injury of the season, having previously dealt with a calf problem. To date, he has played in four matches across all competitions, scoring three goals.
With Gudmundsson sidelined, Beltran is expected to take his place as the natural replacement. This gives Beltran a chance to demonstrate his abilities and possibly break his goal drought, which has lasted since February.
The Fiorentina medical team will closely track Gudmundsson’s recovery over the next few days, hoping for a quick return. However, early indications point to the injury being more severe than first anticipated, possibly resulting in several missed matches for the important player.
Pogba’s Juventus Future in Doubt as Club Plans to Drop Him
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba has received a major setback in his efforts to return to Juventus, with club director Cristiano Giuntoli confirming that they still intend to part ways with him.
Pogba, under contract with Juventus until 2026, is expected to have his doping ban lifted in March.
He has been suspended since September 2023 for failing a drug test. Initially given a four-year ban, his sentence was recently shortened to 18 months following a successful appeal.
The Frenchman recently expressed his desire to play for Thiago Motta’s team once more.
Speaking to La Gazzetta dello Sport and Pogba expressed his readiness to accept a pay cut in order to stay in Turin.
The Carrington Academy graduate said, “I am currently a Juve player, and that is all that I am thinking about today…I am willing to take a salary cut to stay at Juventus.”
However, it seems that the Serie A club has no interest in keeping him on their roster.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano [via GFFN] reports that Juventus remains determined to part ways with Pogba. The World Cup winner is not considered part of the club’s future due to both “financial and technical reasons.”
In fact, Juventus director Giuntoli recently confirmed this.
He told the media, “Pogba was a great player, but we have different plans now.”
“We’ve invested on different players and our team is now complete.”
Juventus currently has six midfielders vying for three starting spots: Teun Koopmeiners, Weston McKennie, Manuel Locatelli, Nicolo Fagioli, Khephren Thuram, and Douglas Luiz.
As a result, Pogba will be looking for a new club in 2025.
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