Paul Pogba’s representative, Mino Raiola, has opened up on his client’s world-record transfer to Manchester United.
The super agent claims a move to Real Madrid was “too easy”and questioned whether Arsenal have the “balls” to make a big transfer.
Although Raiola admitted that the Gunners have money to spend, he feels manager Arsene Wenger is not as bold as Jose Mourinho in the market.
“It’s not just a case of spending the money,” Raiola told the Daily Mail.
“It’s shouldering the responsibility and saying ‘yes, this is my man’. Arsenal have the money, but do they have the balls?
“I respect Arsene Wenger. He has a philosophy that says the figures [I am paid] don’t match what I do, but that’s okay. I know Wenger likes Pogba but the price Juventus set for him doesn’t fit his philosophy.
“With Real Madrid, Zidane’s will was strong but we were not sure the club felt the same. Manchester United sent out a message with the transfer they did: ‘this is the biggest club in the world’.”
Raiola, who also represents Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mario Balotelli and Henrikh Mkhitaryan, explained that he always tells his players to go where they are wanted.
According to him United chased Pogba for two years, before they eventually landed him.
“I always say to my players we go where we are needed. United will always be one of the biggest clubs in the world whether by reputation or balance sheet. ‘Yes, Manchester United had no Champions League and weren’t champions but they needed us the most.
“United had been talking to us for two years about Pogba.
“They had taken my player Sergio Romero and we had kept the lines of communication open.
“We knew we had interest, we spoke to Juventus, they really wanted to try for the Champions League, they gave him the No 10 shirt and we said we would give it one more year.
“Then I worked on an exit plan. We had two offers from the Premier League and two outside.
“Paul said United was in his heart, Woodward wanted him at United a year ago and Mourinho had wanted him at Chelsea too, so when the two combined we knew it was right.
“For the player, Real Madrid would have been easier, La Liga, Champions League, but he wanted the greater challenge.
“Mkhitaryan was more complicated. We had almost agreed with another Premier League club but Dortmund wouldn’t let him go, then United pushed it over the line.
“With Zlatan, he fits the Manchester United brand perfectly. He is the personification of fearless and has that winning mentality combined with class.
“He is 34 but he is the most talked about player in the Premier League. His reunion with Mourinho gives that feeling of “we are Manchester United, now come try to f*** us’!”
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