Pogba’s agent under fire for Barcelona ‘offering’
PAUL POGBA’S agent Mino Raiola has sparked fury at Manchester United for trying to engineer a move to Barcelona for the World Cup winner.
United have rejected out of hand a double player-plus-cash deal for Pogba from the Spanish club.
Barcelona’s offer of £44.6million plus their defender Yerry Mina and midfielder Andres Gomes for Pogba was rejected by United’s hierarchy.
But they are not happy with Raiola for giving encouragement to Barca.
He had no mandate from them to tout the player around and it is the second time this year he has “offered” Pogba to a rival. Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola claimed he had been offered Pogba by Raiola during the January transfer window.
Having paid a then-world record £89m to Juventus to bring former academy graduate Pogba back to Old Trafford, United are adamant that the France star remains a vital part of their plans, despite his problems with manager Jose Mourinho last term.
Mourinho praised Pogba for his disciplined performances for France in Russia and wants him to play the same way for United.
United sources are suspicious that Raiola is also trying to use Barcelona’s interest as a way of earning Pogba a pay rise on his £200,000-a-week deal he signed in 2016. Since then, he has been overtaken as United’s highest wage earner by Alexis Sanchez, who cashed in on his free transfer from Arsenal by agreeing an eye-watering deal of about £500,000 a week.
United have told Barcelona it would be pointless to increase their offer – something they cannot do anyway unless the Spanish club sell Ousmane Dembele, a possible Arsenal target.
United’s focus remains on trying to sign a new centre-half before tomorrow’s transfer deadline.
Leicester have told them Harry Maguire is not for sale at any price, while United are still haggling with Tottenham over Toby Alderweireld. They have made a £40m offer but that is £10m short of Spurs’ valuation for the Belgium international.
They have also asked Bayern Munich about Jerome Boateng.
Frustrated Mourinho will not sanction any sales unless he has brought players in.