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A year is a long time in the world of football signings.
Rewind the clock 12 months and the ‘saga’ that surrounds Manchester United was not related to Paul Pogba, or Jadon Sancho. No, it was Erling Haaland’s name on the lips of all United fans, his name was trending high on Twitter and used in search engines. Having scored goal after goal for RB Salzburg and impressed in the Champions League against Liverpool, the Norwegian, with a tangible connection to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, was a very real transfer target for United.
He had worked with Solskjaer in Molde, spoke English and knew the Premier League; United were interested in him and Haaland was open to the idea of a move to the Premier League.
However, it is not the first time, and certainly not the last, that Borussia Dortmund has beaten United in the transfer market.
It is always a daunting feeling for fans when their club fails to achieve their preferred transfer goals. And unfortunately after the Haaland and Sancho sagas, it’s getting a little too familiar for United fans’ taste these days.
But United took a position in December 2019 regarding transfers that they should use as a general rule of thumb for the future.
Sources told MEN that Haaland’s representatives, including Mino Raiola, wanted to secure a portion of the Norwegian forward’s future sales as part of the transfer. United said a general ‘no’ to such proposals, believing it was setting a dangerous precedent. Okay, Haaland decided to go to Dortmund, but United took a principled position. Back then it was suggested that the club should delete Raiola’s name from the list of agents they would happily trade with.
Unfortunately, the club already has a Raiola client on their books and he’s causing them endless trouble right now.
Raiola has at least taken the edge off his recent comments by clarifying that he doesn’t expect to sell Pogba in January. He said: “Pogba will have a great future. In England, they are very sensitive when it comes to Pogba.
“I just expressed my thoughts. I have said that Paul can leave in the summer, that it is difficult to make big deals in January.”
But that doesn’t help United much. In fact, it will be more difficult for the club to get a decent price for a talented World Cup winner, who has one year left on his contract.
And, like it or not, they will have to deal with Raiola, to some extent, when negotiating Pogba’s inevitable departure between now and summer. But every time the agent opens his mouth to the media, United must be cursing his luck.
So they must take a position, as Gary Neville said, when it comes to Raiola. A position that can ruin your chances of landing Haaland or any other Raiola client in the future.
“The guy (Raiola) should never be treated by this football club again,” Neville said. “This club has to sit still and see what is happening. They cannot go sign another player with that agent. Enough is enough. Paul Pogba does not want to play for Manchester United Football Club.”
“His agent, who is his best friend, told us categorically that he doesn’t want to be here anymore.”
Manchester United played a draw with neighboring City in the first derby of the season on Saturday.
They will then travel through the Pennines to face Sheffield United, the last of the Premier League, on Thursday night. The Blades only have one point in their first 12 games, and three points will be imperative for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team if they want to stay in touch with the favorites.
MEN Sport will bring you all the preparation for the match. You can have it all delivered directly to your inbox by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just enter your email address in the registration box at the top of this article, or just follow this link. It’s free and only takes a few seconds.
Perhaps United could further stretch this change in their transfer policy and rule out any agent who threatens to screw them up, try to pressure their bargaining position or smear their name in the media.
It may be restrictive, it may exclude United from the race to sign some of the biggest names in Europe, but it may be necessary to avoid the circus.
United have been stung too many times in the transfer market, not only by Raiola, but by a certain naivety in his actions and decisions. Pogba’s saga may have helped them get tough. No more nice mr.
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