Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba is facing a lengthy penalty after Italy's national anti-doping tribunal recommended a four-year punishment for doping.
Pogba, 30, was suspended indefinitely in September after testing positive for testosterone.
A month later, a B sample verified the substance's presence. The Italian sports justice system is investigating, and the public prosecutor's office in Turin has also launched an investigation, as doping is a criminal violation in Italy.
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"I can confirm that we received this morning this notification from the anti-doping agency with four years (suspension) requested," a source familiar with the matter told AFP.
The sample was apparently taken at his club's first Serie A encounter of the season, a win over Udinese on August 20, during which he was an unused substitute.
The testosterone, according to Pogba's representatives, came from a dietary supplement supplied by a doctor he saw in the United States.
Pogba faces a four-year penalty under the World Anti-Doping Code, which might be reduced if he can demonstrate that he was not at fault.
The penalty could be reduced to a few months if the substance was used "out of competition and is unrelated to his level of performance."
Pogba has been unable to practice with Juventus since the publication of his positive test, the club to whom he returned in July 2022 after six seasons with United.
Juve has also halted payment of his yearly salary of 8 million euros (8.4 million USD).
