Paul Pogba, midfielder for Juventus and a member of the France national team, will shortly decide whether to have surgery on an ailing knee with the World Cup only three months away.

After a few inconsistent seasons at Old Trafford, the 29-year-old midfielder returned to Juventus from Manchester United this summer. However, he quickly encountered physical problems once again and suffered an injury last month while practising with Juve. He must now choose whether to operate on his hurt knee. If Pogba opts for surgery, he would miss the World Cup in Qatar this November and be sidelined for four months. Juventus prefers this course of action despite the player's extended absence.

Pogba, who is desperate to play for Les Bleus this winter, still has a few other treatment options available to him that would only keep him out for two months, giving him enough time to get ready for France's World Cup title defence. But by taking this step, he runs the risk of severely damaging his knee and jeopardising the rest of his career. The player is travelling to Lyon today to have his injury assessed by specialist before making his choice.