Raiola: Pogba wants to stay but he needs more support from United
Agent hits out at critics of player ‘doing his best’ Sporting director needed to establish an ‘identity’
Mino Raiola says that Paul Pogba wants to stay at Manchester United and “win prizes”, but the agent believes the club need to support the midfielder more.
Raiola laid out Pogba’s feelings and frustrations about United and why he would not get “angry” with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer because of the respect he had for him when they were players.
Raiola confirmed that Real Madrid had tried to sign the World Cup winner last summer, but insisted that the 26-year-old would not push for a move and go against the United manager’s wishes.
Pogba returned to United for £89.3 million in 2016, four years after the midfielder left for Juventus, which remains the highest fee paid by a British club.
“Paul really went home,” Raiola said. “Paul could have gone elsewhere. But he chose with his heart. Paul is a very nice person. For example, he’s not able to be angry at Ole because Ole treated him so good when Ole was an older player and Paul was a younger player.”
Solskjaer also reiterated yesterday that the immediate future of the player lay at United when he said there would be no exit route in the next transfer window.
“He’s not getting sold in January,” was the United manager’s response at his press conference ahead of tomorrow’s game at Watford, before also admitting Pogba may not be in the team again this year after his recovery from an ankle injury that has kept him out of action since September and restricted him to only six appearances this season was delayed by illness.
“I hope he will play before the end of the year, but I am not going to push him. I can’t risk any setbacks or injuries,” Solskjaer added. “Paul has been fantastic and we’ve
got one of the best players in the world when he plays well and gets fit. He needs time. He’s not been training with us for long. He’s training and that’s a step forward for us.”
Pogba missed two days of training because of illness. He attended his brother’s wedding in France on Friday, but needed a check-up with United’s doctor on Saturday, with his symptoms worsening the following day.
“Paul wants to be successful and happy and wants to win prizes and he would love to do that with Manchester United,” Raiola said. “OK, there was big interest from Real Madrid and Manchester didn’t let him go. We didn’t make a fuss and he didn’t make a fuss because I work in accordance with the player.
“You know other players can bring things to extreme, but Paul doesn’t like that. So you work differently. There was an interest from Real but they [United] didn’t let him go and I’m sorry because I think with Paul being French, [Zinedine] Zidane [the Real manager] is an important factor in French football history.
“But Paul is not the guy I hear about from [Gary] Neville and the frustrated ex-players who say he should be ashamed of this or that. Ashamed of what? He is working every day and doing his best. He’s not complaining there is no Champions League. Nobody is perfect. Is he also responsible for failure? He feels so. If you are in a team you are responsible for failure.”
One issue highlighted by Raiola was his belief that United needed a sporting director, something the club have spoken about for some time without, yet, making an appointment.
“The club needs a specialist, a sports director, someone between the team, the coach and the owners, someone who can bridge the sides,” he said. “Today, you need that specialist because the coach has no time to manage scouts and other tasks and I feel that is lacking at Manchester United.
“I look at Manchester United and think they have more an American mentality. By that, I mean that sometimes it seems the club is more concerned about the economic part than the sports part.”
With that in mind, the argument is that United are lacking an identity. “Players that make a team, that fit it, that fit a philosophy and Manchester United in this way is looking for a philosophy,” Raiola said.
“People think I hate [Sir Alex] Ferguson. I don’t hate Ferguson or [Pep] Guardiola. I don’t hate anyone. That negative energy is not allowed in my life.”
Raiola and Ferguson clashed over Pogba’s departure from United in 2012, but the agent said: “At least with Ferguson you saw it was his team – the way they played.”
Raiola believes United do not have that at present. “Is there a better midfielder [than Pogba] in the world? No!” he said. “If you come to that conclusion then the other conclusion is: now if you sell Paul Pogba would you buy a better one? No! If you create your identity then maybe you discover Paul is ideal. If you want to play with two holding midfielders, then where does Paul play? In several positions.
“So, I say make your identity of what you want your club to be and then find the ‘Lego’ parts for it. Then it’s easy to say ‘if we play 4-3-3’ and one holding midfielder then who is the best to play here and there? You need that clarity. A big club choose the system and then choose the players.
“[Jurgen] Klopp and Guardiola have a clear identity. You know if a player fits them or not. Or you even say, ‘This is a player for Klopp or for Guardiola’. Tell me the player who you would like for Manchester United? You don’t know because you don’t know the identity.”