Paul Pogba ‘was trapped by two men with assault rifles who demanded £11m’

Paul Pogba has reportedly told French authorities about an alleged plot to blackmail him by a gang that dragged him to a Paris apartment in March and demanded £11m as they threatened him with assault rifles.

The 29-year-old, who has won the World Cup with France, said the men wanted the money for ‘protection services’ stretching back 13 years and also followed him to Manchester. 

The two armed men told Pogba that they ‘protected him discreetly’, including during two spells at Manchester United, the last of which ended earlier this year. 

Judicial sources in Paris confirmed on Sunday that an investigation for ‘attempted extortion in an organised gang’ has been opened.

On Sunday night a source close to the case told the Franceinfo news outlet that ‘childhood friends’ are named as suspects.

It come after Mathias, who had spells in English football at Wrexham, Crewe and Crawley Town, promised to reveal ‘explosive’ information about his better-known sibling in a bizarre video published on Twitter, shortly after joining the platform, on Saturday night. 

France midfield superstar Paul Pogba (top, second from right) poses before a football match in France in 2019 with brothers Florentin (first to Pogba’s left) and Mathias (to his right)

The 29-year-old ex-Manchester United player is said to have been targeted with assault rifles

Pogba celebrated winning the World Cup with his brothers and mum but Mathias has said he will share ‘explosive’ revelations about the former Man United midfielder in a Twitter video

Mathias Pogba said he would share information on his brother in a bizarre video on Twitter

Pogba became United’s club record signing when he joined the club for a second time in 2016

A judicial source said: ‘Investigators from the Central Office of Judicial Police Combating Organised Crime that he was trapped by childhood friends, and two hooded men armed with assault rifles.’

Pogba said the gang wanted €13m – the equivalent of £11m – and had been threatening him for four months.

Acts of intimidation were carried out in Manchester in April, and later around the Italian city of Turin, where Pogba currently plays for Juventus.

The gang is also said to have taken Pogba to flat in the Paris suburb of Lagny-sur-Marne, where Pogba grew up, at the end of March.

There, the gang members accused Pogba of not helping them financially since he became a professional player. 

During police interviews, Paul Pogba said he had always been close to his childhood friends and helped them out financially when he could.

But in January he kicked one out his house in Manchester after discovering that the unidentified man had used Pogba’s credit card to steal €200,000 – the equivalent of £170,000.

Mathias Pogba has insisted he has ‘important things’ to say about PSG forward Kylian Mbappe

Paul Pogba was born and raised in Lagny-sur-Marne along with two brothers – Mathias and Florentin, both of whom also play football professionally. 

Mathias took to social media this weekend to promise ‘explosive revelations’ about his brother.

‘The French, English, Italian and Spanish public – in other words, the whole world – as well as my brother’s fans, and even more so the French team and Juventus, my brother’s team-mates and his sponsors deserve to know certain things,’ he said.

‘In order to make an informed decision if he deserves the admiration, respect and love of the public. 

‘If he deserves his place in the French team and the honour of playing in the World Cup. If he deserves to be a starter at Juventus. 

‘If he is a trustworthy person, that any player deserves to have at his side.’

The 2018 World Cup winner left United for a second time this summer and rejoined Juventus

Pogba also addressed his brother’s agent and lawyer, Rafaela Pimenta. Pimenta has taken over the handling of Paul Pogba’s career following the death of his former agent, Mino Raiola, in April. Mathias Pogba has questioned her ability to hold the position.

He stated that he would let fans and players know about ‘her integrity, her professionalism… her loyalty’ so that they could decide whether she ‘deserves to represent them.’ 

Pogba concluded his video by referencing Mbappe, declaring he has ‘important things’ to say about the 23-year-old.

‘I will tell you very important things about him and there will be elements and many testimonies to confirm my words,’ Pogba said of Mbappe. ‘Everything could be explosive and make a lot of noise.’

Paul Pogba’s lawyers, Yeo Moriba – who is also his mother – and Pimenta have since responded to Mathias’s threats.

‘Mathias Pogba’s recent statements on social networks are unfortunately not a surprise,’ they said. ‘They are in addition to threats and organised extortion attempts against Paul Pogba.’

Paul Pogba is married to the Bolivian model, Maria Zulay Salaues, and they have two children together.