Paul Pogba DID rent a witchdoctor – however to not put a spell on France team-mate Kylian Mbappe

There’s at all times a way of magic when Kylian Mbappé weaves out and in of a number of defenders to attain a breath-taking solo objective.

France’s 23-year-old celebrity striker actually mesmerised a Paris crowd on Thursday to attain the opener in a 2-0 win over Austria.

What made the strike within the Nations League sport significantly vital, nevertheless, is that it got here after a witch physician allegedly used supernatural powers to destroy his expertise.

The Marabout – an African mystic who claims imprecise hyperlinks to Islam – is claimed to have been paid by Paul Pogba, the 29-year-old France and ex-Manchester United midfielder, to forged evil spells on Mbappé, 23, investigators have been instructed.

Jealously of a youthful teammate was the motive, it’s claimed by suspects charged with making an attempt to blackmail Pogba out of greater than £11million.

5 of them, together with one among Pogba’s elder brothers, at the moment are on remand and dealing with as much as 20 years every in jail over a spread of costs together with ‘extortion in an organised gang’.

They declare to have recorded a video displaying Pogba chatting with the Marabout, who calls himself ‘Ibrahim the Nice’ and costs as a lot as €100 (£88) an hour for his providers

Because the case intensifies, the Mail on Sunday has learnt that Pogba did certainly pay a sorcerer to assist him along with his injury-plagued profession.

Nevertheless, he vehemently denies that this had something to do with Mbappé and mentioned he ‘by no means supposed to hurt anybody’.

Pogba as an alternative instructed investigators working for France’s Central Workplace for the Battle in opposition to Organised Crime (OCLCO) that he was ‘seeking to be protected in opposition to damage’ and ‘additionally to assist poor youngsters in Africa’ he was in reference to by means of an support organisation.

Two judicial sources in Paris confirmed the revelations – and the transcript from interviews accomplished final month – as they labored on the explosive investigation.

Known as ‘Operation Penalty’, it’s not solely creating hell for Pogba himself – he’s below police safety whereas dominated out of enjoying due to damage – however threatening to scupper France’s defence of their World Cup in Qatar in November.

Additional horrifying particulars from the investigation embrace Pogba describing how he was threatened by two hooded males brandishing assault rifles after being lured right into a flat in Chanteloup-en-Brie, within the jap suburbs of Paris on March 19.

He was within the metropolis on worldwide obligation, 4 days after a housebreaking in Manchester which noticed his spouse, Zulay, and the couple’s two younger boys threatened.

Additionally current within the Paris property have been 4 of Pogba’s childhood associates, recognized as Boubacar C., Adama C. and two brothers known as Roushdane and Machikour Okay.

Pogba claims he had his cell phone taken away and was instructed to pay the £11million in return for ‘safety charges’ going again 13 years – the size of his skilled profession – and in addition for a assure that the Marabout proof, contained on a USB stick, wouldn’t be launched.

‘I used to be scared,’ mentioned Pogba. ‘The 2 guys pointed their weapons at me. Given I used to be being held like that at gunpoint, I instructed them I would pay.

‘They shouted: ‘Shut up, look down’. One in every of them spoke in Roushdane’s ear. When the 2 hooded guys left, Roushdane instructed me I needed to pay in any other case we have been all at risk.

‘Roushdane mentioned what had occurred was standard if you end up a well-known footballer, however that I needed to pay as a result of he had vouched for me.’

Pogba started making an attempt to lift the cash, earlier than being launched at 4am, whereas being instructed that he could be watched.

In flip, the childhood associates mentioned they have been being threatened by a mafia-style gang who have been controlling your entire extortion operation.

Roushdane Okay. mentioned he had been shot in a hand by the unidentified gangsters, whereas Mamadou M. mentioned they burned his automobile out.

After making an preliminary fee of €100,000 (£88,000), Pogba realised the blackmailers have been stalking him across the coaching floor of his present membership, Juventus, and so filed a criticism to the Italian authorities on July 16.

Amongst these he recognized was his brother Mathias Pogba, the 32-year-old ex-Wrexham striker, who has since been charged with extortion, after allegedly posting a sequence of video messages threatening Paul Pogba. Mathias Pogba denies all costs.

On Friday – the day after the Austria video games – Mathia’s Twitter account was reactivated, and he wrote: ‘My brother has grow to be a fan of witchcraft in recent times, turning into the follower of a sorcerer often called Marabout Ibrahim, known as The Nice.’

Repeating earlier accusations, Matthias reportedly wrote: ‘My brother, on a number of events, forged spells on his soccer teammates, together with the prodigy Kylian Mbappé, whether or not out of jealousy or to win a sport.’

In flip, counsel for Paul Pogba decry such claims as being completely false.

Leaked transcripts have additionally revealed that the chief of safety for the France squad knew Pogba was being threatened by ‘a convicted assassin’ 4 months earlier than the opening of a prison investigation.

‘He was going by means of a very tough scenario,’ the officer instructed investigators, including that Pogba ‘was afraid of being thought-about a snitch’.

This seems to be the rationale why the officer didn’t report the extortion makes an attempt to his colleagues or make some other try and open a proper prison enquiry.

It was not till August that the criticism was lastly prolonged to the French authorities.

Requested additional in regards to the gang, the officer mentioned Pogba instructed him: ‘They’re in Dubai. He defined that there’s a contact on the entrance line in France and that these individuals had approached him immediately and that also they are utilizing his brother Mathias to make the liaison.

‘Amongst these individuals, there was a person who was convicted of homicide and compelled imprisonment’.

Pogba first spoke to the France safety chief in the identical month as he was held within the Paris flat.

The safety chief added: ‘What I realized subsequent was that these individuals even went to his home in Manchester. He was afraid for his spouse and youngsters who lived there.

‘I suggested him to place a safety gadget in entrance of the locations the place his household reside.

‘As he knew that he was going to go to Turin he instructed me that he was going take that into consideration for Italy.’

The scandal couldn’t come at a worse time for the France squad, who hope to grow to be the primary workforce since Brazil in 1962 to defend their World Cup title.

Whereas Mbappé has publicly described Pogba as ‘a buddy’ and indicated he isn’t unduly involved by what’s being mentioned, resentment is smouldering throughout the squad.

‘There’s a feeling that there have to be some hearth to go along with the smoke,’ mentioned a senior French Soccer Federation (FFF) supply.

‘Paul Pogba has some good associates within the squad who consider every little thing he tells them, however others are extra cautious.’

Didier Deschamps, the France supervisor, has expressed his help for Pogba however can also be recognized to be deeply unsettled.

FFF president Noel Le Graet is in the meantime concerned in a rising intercourse abuse scandal, by which he’s accused of sending inappropriate texts to feminine FFF workers.

Amelie Oudea-Castera, France’s sports activities minister, has ordered an investigation, saying ‘all types of discrimination and violence, together with sexist and sexual violence’ must be fought in opposition to.

Le Graet denies any wrongdoing and has supplied ‘full transparency’ to the investigation.

Urgent issues for Deschamps additionally embrace a rising damage listing, which – past Pogba – has robbed him of stars together with Karim Benzema and N’Golo Kanté.

All of it provides as much as a bleak image for Les Bleus – one which alleged witchcraft is making significantly worse.