José Mourinho is becoming increasingly concerned by the damage that he feels the agent Mino Raiola is doing to Manchester United.
Mourinho and senior figures within the United hierarchy are worried that Raiola has been hawking his star client, Paul Pogba, around Europe since the World Cup, attracting the interest of Barcelona and Juventus in the process.
United insist that Pogba will not be sold before the English transfer window shuts at 5pm today or before the European deadline on August 31. But there is concern within the club that Raiola is causing serious damage by meddling in affairs.
Mourinho and his staff are understood to believe that Raiola is not acting in Pogba’s best interests by trying to move the midfielder on. The agent has raked in millions of pounds in fees from bringing six players to the club in recent years.
Mourinho dislikes working with Raiola, which is not good for United as the agent has Romelu Lukaku and Sergio Romero, as well as Pogba, on his books.
Raiola earned £41 million from Pogba’s then world-record £89 million transfer from Juventus to United in 2016. United also signed another two Raiola clients, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, that summer. When the claim that he was offering Pogba to other clubs on the back of his success at the World Cup was put to Raiola this week, he said: “I will never make declarations about Paul. You have to speak to Manchester United.”
Pogba has trained all week since he returned from holiday on Monday but is likely to start tomorrow’s match against Leicester City on the bench.
Alexis Sánchez has urged United to make “big signings” today but Mourinho is concerned that Ed Woodward, the executive vice-chairman, will not bring in any more players before the deadline.
Sánchez said: “At United we have to sign big players, with experience. Barcelona just signed Arturo Vidal, who is a great player and my team-mate from Chile.
“He is an example of the type of players we need to sign in order to win trophies and compete at the highest level.”
Mourinho repeatedly warned on the pre-season tour of America that his team would face a difficult campaign unless Woodward bought another centre half, but last night United were not close to signing any of their targets.
United are reluctant to pay Leicester City’s £65 million asking price for Harry Maguire. Toby Alderweireld’s agent, Stijn Francis, is ready to fly over from Denmark if United bid for his client, who Tottenham Hotspur value at more than £50 million.
Jérôme Boateng is keen on a move to Old Trafford, but United have only made a loan inquiry because of his injury troubles and Bayern Munich want a permanent transfer worth £50 million instead. Woodward is unwilling to pay a big agent’s fee for Barcelona’s £28 million-rated Yerry Mina.
United’s neighbours Manchester City are highly unlikely to sign anyone today even though the manager, Pep Guardiola, wanted a midfielder.