Paul Pogba undergoes medical ahead of his return to Juventus

Over the course of the week, Juventus players have been trickling in for their preseason medicals. One by one or sometimes in pairs, the players have been greeted a smattering of Juve supporters looking for a picture, an autograph and the chance to say hello to somebody they watch from the Allianz Stadiums or on television nine months out of the year.

That crowd increased by a lot when Ángel Di Maria arrived at J Medical Friday morning.

And Saturday morning, well, you might as well thought it was a full-blown party outside of the J Medical doors. That crowd that was there for Di Maria’s arrival was small in comparison — and they were all there for one guy.

That guy is one we’ve basically known is going to sign with Juventus for weeks, and one that has already gone through this type of thing with the club once before. Back then, Paul Pogba was the young teenager who was arriving at Juve as more of a potential-filled signing more than anything else, the kind of player who needed a chance to try and let all of that talent bloom. This time around, six years after he went back to Manchester United on a then-world record transfer fee, Pogba stepped through the J Medical doors still very much beloved by those Juventus fans awaiting his arrival but also a player with the hopes attached to him to try and get the Bianconeri back to where they were the first time he lived in Turin.

Pogba is the second part of a big weekend of free-agent arrivals for Juventus, with Di Maria’s signing announced later in the day Friday. With his arrival at J Medical, Pogba will put the finishing touches on his on free transfer to Juventus, capping a comeback to the club in which he truly broke out as a star. Pogba will sign a three-year contract worth a reported €8 million net a season, putting him atop the payroll barring any sudden turnaround in the whole Matthijs de Ligt situation that results in a contract extension.

And with it, a comeback to Juventus that probably didn’t look very likely a few months ago is now a reality.

Of course, Pogba was so ready to begin his second stint at Juventus that he hopped right off his private jet after it arrived Turin-Caselle Airport and headed right for Continassa. He greeted a pretty solid crowd that was there waiting for him, very much the kind of thing that a dude like Pogba loves to eat up and feed off.

A showman he most certainly is. A big personality he is, too.

That personality is now back in the fold after quite the roller coaster ride in Manchester. And I think it’s safe to say that those outside J Medical are pretty happy to have him back. Same goes for the guy who has been flashing that big smile of his in every video and picture he appears in over the last couple of days.