Paul Pogba trains in Juventus jersey but insists: 'I'm just supporting my friends'

French midfielder and United teammate Lindelof uploaded clips from sprint drills with both players wearing Serie A shirts

Manchester United's Paul Pogba applauds the fans after the Premier League match at Old Trafford, Manchester. PA Photo. Picture date: Thursday December 26, 2019. See PA story SOCCER Man Utd. Photo credShow more

Paul Pogba, like most athletes around the world, has been working on his fitness at home, but the French midfielder has caused a stir by doing drills in a Juventus shirt.

The World Cup-winner uploaded two video clips to Instagram of himself and Manchester United teammate Victor Lindelof doing sprint drills at his home, with Pogba filmed going through his paces in the jersey of his former club.

However, the 27-year-old midfielder insisted in the captions accompanying the clips that he was wearing the jersey of Blaise Matuidi as a show of support after his former teammate and international colleague contracted the coronavirus.

"I know the cheeky ones will talk about the Juventus jersey," he wrote. "I'm just supporting my friends ... that's all, nothing more."

Lindelof also adorned a Serie A jersey, wearing the Sampdoria No 6 shirt of Sweden colleague Albin Ekdal, who was among four players from the Italian club to test positive for Covid-19.

"Get well soon @EkdalAlbin. Stay safe everyone," the Swedish defender wrote on Twitter.

Pogba, who returned to United in 2016 in a then world record €105 million (Dh420m) deal, has been linked with a move back to Juventus as well as Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Last summer, the midfielder said he was keen on a "new challenge" and although he remained at United, injuries have limited his contribution this season to just eight matches.

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