Mino Raiola reveals that Matthijs De Ligt wanted to go to the ‘Havard’ for defenders while slamming Manchester United for ruining Paul Pogba.
The super agent gave a telling interview when discussing his clients, namely Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba and Matthis De Ligt.
“Zlatan is back to have fun and entertain the world,” he told La Repubblica.
“I couldn’t allow his last stage to be in Los Angeles. These six months will be like the last tour of Queen, a long tribute: it had to be done at San Siro.
“Who convinced who? We argued over every transfer. If I was ignorant, I would think it was always me who decided his teams.
“Instead at 52, I understand that he decides and then he makes me feel as if I made the decision.”
“Haaland? No [he didn’t join Juve] because he’s not a defender and because he’s not De Ligt, who has been Netherlands captain for two years.
“Italians don’t know how to exploit their own talent, let alone others’. I happen to meet Italian scouts who cry miracle if they see a strong teenager.
“Then I say to them: ‘What are you going to do if you don’t let him play?’
“Moise Kean? I’m very sad too. I wouldn’t have taken him to the Premier League if he didn’t speak perfect English because it’s very rare for a young Italian lad to adapt abroad: let’s ask ourselves why Spain and France continue to export players and we don’t.
“Yet if I left him at Juventus, they would have made him play in Serie C. Everton aren’t happy with him, rather they’re thrilled.
“They know that it’s only a matter of time with him because in the Premier League, the technical and physical values are higher and Serie A doesn’t prepare you enough.
“In this sense, Kean is like Balotelli, such a precocious talent who has skipped stages of his development but must recover because there are gaps.
“I have a stack of requests for him on my desk, but Everton have no intention of selling him or letting him leave.
Pogba at United?“I wouldn’t bring anyone there now. They’d also ruin Maradona, Pele and Maldini. Paul needs a team and club like the Juventus team he played in.
De Ligt wants to become the best defender in the world. He said to me: ‘Mino, I I have to go to the Harvard for defenders, the defenders MIT. So we chose Juventus: to get his degree.”
