SUPER agent Mino Raiola boasts an array of star-studded clients including Paul Pogba and Erling Haaland.
The Dutch-Italian intermediary has a black book full of football’s biggest names and is a major player in the majority of money-spinning transfers.
The 53-year-old set tongues wagging when he was snapped visiting Barcelona and Real Madrid with Haaland’s dad Alfe-Inge in April.
A reported £154million move for Norwegian goal machine Haaland could be on the cards this summer.
Manchester United have long been chasing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s compatriot after the two worked together at Molde.
But the Red Devils were unsuccessful in landing their man when he chose to move to Borussia Dortmund from RB Leipzig at the start of 2020.
Raiola helped him agree the switch to the Bundesliga over a move to Old Trafford.
Matthijs de Ligt is another of the his clients to have snubbed a move to Old Trafford when he joined Juventus in 2019.
Raiola also negotiates on behalf of several other talented stars, including AC Milan pair Gianluigi Donnarumma and Alessio Romagnoli.
Milan have frozen keeper Donnarumma’s contract talks with the United and Chelsea target involved in a heated confrontation with club Ultras.
Napoli teammates Kostas Manolas and Hirving Lozano – the latter linked with a switch to Solskjaer’s side last year – are also on his books.
As is Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Veratti – who United were thought to be interested in a deal for back in 2018.
Donyell Malen could also prove vital to the Reds finally landing Jadon Sancho with Borussia Dortmund keen on signing the PSV Eindhoven ace as the England star’s replacement if he decides to move on.
But Raiola also oversees the former Arsenal star’s career and would be loath to help United out.
Another man in the agent’s super team is Lillian Thuram’s son Marcus – who was reportedly being tracked by Manchester City following his standout form for Borussia Monchengladbach.
The player rep has endured a controversial relationship with United chiefs, mainly due to his outspoken comments regarding Pogba.
Raiola famously vowed in 2019 that he wouldn’t send any more players to the Red Devils because they’d ‘ruin Pele and Maldini.
In 2020, he revealed that French World Cup winner Pogba wanted to leave just a day before United crashed out of the Champions League group stage at the hands of RB Leipzig.
Incensed by the remarks, club legend Gary Neville claimed that the club should never sign another player represented by Raiola and insisted the former Italian restaurant waiter should be blacklisted.
He told Sky Sports: “Manchester United have got a big problem whilst they’ve got a star player in the dressing room who has an agent is categorically going to go out the night before the biggest game of the season. The lack of respect!
“The guy should never be dealt with again by this football club. This football club has got to stand still and look at what is happening.”
Raiola was blamed by Sir Alex Ferguson for Pogba’s first Manchester exit back in 2012.
He has since failed to repair relationships when he repped both Zlatan Ibrahimovic and former client Romelu Lukaku when the two strikers were at the Theatre of Dreams.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
