Back in the days when Jose Mourinho and Jorge Mendes were allegedly using the media in some kind of PR war to land the Manchester United job, we pondered that Mino Raiola may well be getting annoyed.
One of the cast members of the drama was Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with it being repeatedly reported that the Swede would only move to Manchester United if Louis van Gaal left and Jose Mourinho arrived.
That Raiola’s long time client and major career partner in crime was being used as Mendes leverage may well have stung. Indeed if Zlatan’s autobiography is anything to judge upon, it sounds like a situation that would get right under Raiola’s skin.
As Raiola continued to make comments that Ibrahimovic’s future wasn’t decided and there could be a surprise, there continued to be leaks to the media that he’d be off to Manchester United as long as Mourinho was appointed.
In a world where contract disputes between sportsmen and agents have ended in the highest of courts, Raiola doesn’t have his clients, some of the most bankable footballers around, committed to him legally.
If they at any point no longer want to be with him then his stance is let them go. This all shows a certain emotion and it’s clear the agent is driven by the heart as well as the head.
So Raiola now, according to reports, positioning himself to do the lion-share of Manchester United’s transfer business is thoroughly interesting. After the appointment of Mourinho, Raiola seems to be making a play to become king in the land Jorge Mendes must have thought was his own.
It’s not only Ibrahimovic, but also Henrikh Mkhitaryan, with Raiola making it very clear, very publicly, that the player wants to leave Borussia Dortmund and join Manchester United.
German magazine SportBild even revealed a recent Raiola meeting with Dortmund about Mkhitaryan which saw a chair chucked.
Mkhitaryan himself is an emotional chap, which local Dortmund newspaper Ruhr Nachrichten believe is behind an impending exit.
The Armenian international was all set to sign a new contract with Dortmund after a very good season, which followed a very bad one, but Ruhr Nachrichten feel criticism got to him.
Mkhitaryan faced internal Dortmund criticism for his role in Europa League defeat to Liverpool and German Cup final defeat to Bayern Munich. The local newspaper believe this is simply what a professional has to deal with, but they don’t think Mkhitaryan has.
Dortmund return for training on July 4th, with their first match of pre-season on July 22nd… against Manchester United. A potential reverse of the Angel Di Maria and PSG stand-off is on the cards.
The Mkhitaryan and Ibrahimovic stories are still being pushed, considered done, with the latter being that way for months, largely thanks to the player himself. Ibrahimovic has learned from the master and had many consciously submitting themselves to the palm of his hand.
Reports now say Manchester United are set for Paul Pogba talks, of course another Raiola client, and a claim which is made every summer. Indeed the possible triple Ibra/Micki/Pogba arrival was hugely pushed, via Gianluca Di Marzio and others, on Saturday.
It can be no coincidence.
Whether the whole thing is based on cold reality or hot emotion, Raiola has managed to push Mendes aside in the Old Trafford transfer psyche and has given Edward Woodward a new avenue of reliance.
Romelu Lukaku and Blaise Matuidi are perhaps the only other Raiola clients who could conceivably be signing for Manchester United this summer, and there’s already been rumours, and will be again.
Mendes and Gestifute certainly don’t need Manchester United’s help to have a good summer, and he’s hardly likely to turn up with James Rodriguez, Andre Gomes and William Carvalho stitched into his jacket and start a sales pitch.
There may be a hangover from Manchester United missing out on Mendes client Renato Sanches earlier this year. Things may be changing and Raiola is certainly encouraging the idea of that, whether it be true or not.
