SIR ALEX FERGUSON has plenty of history with football agent Mino Raiola.
Writing in his book Leading, he had the following to say about the controversial Italian advisor.
“There are one or two football agents I simply do not like, and Mino Raiola – Paul Pogba – is one of them.
“I distrusted him from the moment I met him. He became Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s agent while he was playing for Ajax, and eventually he would end up representing Pogba, who was only 18-years-old at the time.
“We had Paul under a three-year contract, and it had a one-year renewal option which we were eager to sign. But Raiola suddenly appeared on the scene and our first meeting was a fiasco.
“He and I were like oil and water. From then on, our goose was cooked because Raiola had been able to ingratiate himself with Paul and his family and the player signed with Juventus.”
Later, Raiola claimed that Ferguson called him a ‘twat’ during those contract negotiations.
With Pogba now back at United following a record transfer deal, many have wondered just how United let him slip through their fingers previously – including Sale Sharks’ Brian Mujati.
He got the chance to ask Ferguson about it when the iconic coaching figure came to the Aviva Premiership side to give a talk to the players ahead of the new season.
“Paul Pogba?” Ferguson said, in response to Mutaji’s question.
“Let me tell you about Paul Pogba. He just had a bad agent. A s***bag. Paul Pogba was well known to us. We knew he was a good player. He’s still a good player.”
Over to you, Mino. - Journal.ie
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