Mino Raiola says Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was wrong to hit out at the super-agent who represents Paul Pogba – also saying the midfielder is only committed to Manchester United until this summer’s European Championship.
Solskjaer was the target of Raiola’s anger ahead of United’s defeat of Chelsea on Monday evening, with the agent writing a slamming statement on social media.
His comments came in the wake of Solskjaer’s remark that ‘Paul is our player and not Mino’s’.
Raiola wrote: “Paul is not mine and for sure not Solskjaer’s property, Paul is Paul Pogba’s. You cannot own a human being already for a long time in the UK or anywhere else.
“I hope Solskjaer do[sic] not want to suggest that Paul is his prisoner.
“But before Solskjaer makes comments about things I say he should inform himself better about the content of what has been said.
“I am a free citizen who can think and express my thoughts. Until now I was maybe too nice to him. Solskjaer should just remember things that he said in the summer to Paul.
“I think Solskjaer may be frustrated for different reasons and is now mixing up some issues. I think that Solskjaer has other things to worry about. At least if I was him I would.”
Solskjaer was quizzed on Raiola’s outburst following Man United’s victory at Stamford Bridge, saying: “I don’t have to comment through the media on Mino and what he says. I can probably speak to him myself, so…”
He did admit he ‘probably wouldn’t’ speak to the super-agent, however.
talkSPORT DID speak to Raiola though, as he joined Jim White on Tuesday morning and once again hit out at the Manchester United boss – saying Solskjaer took things out of context simply to offend him.
“The outcome was good for Man United [vs Chelsea[ so maybe I should do it more often,” began Raiola.
“In all seriousness, I thought what Solskjaer said was out of line. He took parts of sentences of an interview of mine, and acted a little bit offended that I was offering Paul Pogba to other clubs without permission.
“If you read the whole interview I was asked if Paul would fancy Italy, and I said Italy is a second home, but that is not the case now as he is concentrated on Manchester United and getting back in the team as soon as possible and to make a great end of the season.”
Quizzed on Solskjaer’s remark of ‘Paul is our player and not Mino’s’, Raiola continued: “I’ve never said he is mine, but that doesn’t mean if I’m being asked something I cannot answer.
“The question was ‘would he like Italy?’ – what has that got to do with being Manchester United’s player.
“And saying that you are Manchester United’s player – are you owned by the club?
“I have been asked if he likes Italy, and I am answering as Mino Raiola; am I not allowed to do that?
“Am I not allowed to talk to you about things? Am I not allowed to talk about players I represent because they are owned by Manchester United, or Juventus, or Barcelona, or whatever other clubs there are in the world.
“It’s a very strange thing to say as a journalist as the only thing you journalists do is talk about players and how they move and don’t move.
“Ole said he is owned by Manchester United as if somebody cannot have an opinion on a player, and that is what I took as an offence.
“I really think this is a strange way of questioning; I was not talking about Pogba in relation to Italy, I was asked something by an Italian journalist if Paul Pogba likes Italy.
“That was it.
“Ole said he is owned by Manchester United and I have a principal problem with that; he is an employee, he is not owned by Manchester United.
“And being employee doesn’t mean I cannot have an opinion or say something I want to say.
“I have never spoken about Ole in the papers or the press, he always speaks about me. Whether it is about [Erling] Haaland, or Pogba’s injury, or Pogba’s surgery, he is always talking about me – I’m not talking about him.
“I have a right to have an opinion, and I have a right to represent my players in the way I want and if that does not suit you that is your problem!
“The only thing I’m interested in is my players and they are happy to be represented that way.”
Pogba’s future also came up in the interview and Raiola insists the midfielder is committed to Manchester United – but only until the end of the Euro 2020 this summer.
“United fans should read the whole interview,” continued the super-agent. “He is only committed to Manchester United until after the European Championship.
“The only focus there is is to get back as soon as possible into the team to help the team, and to have a good end of the season for Manchester United.
“He is committed to Manchester United only until the end of the European Championship, and then we will talk to the club if we need to.”
Listen to Mino Raiola’s interview with talkSPORT, in full, above…
