Pep Guardiola: "Raiola offered me Mkhitaryan and Pogba two months ago.

[Ishdalar]

I think theres a few ways of interpreting it, the one which strikes true to me is Raiola offered Pogba to City, most likely purely with he intent of getting him a better offer. People seem to be thinking that because Raiola offered him it means United or even Pogba offered himself. Personally I've always thought Raiola was a shifty git and wouldn't put it past him too do something like this. I don't even think it's technically that bad a thing to do, even though yes it'd be annoying if i was a United fan, but the idea of shopping a player round to increase his value/standing in contract negotiations is probably standard practice, doing it without the player knowing however.

Should Pep have brought it up? Probably not, bigger man and all that, but its a pretty good way to get everyone mad at Raiola if the offer was done behind Pogba and United's back, which I suspect is what Pep was going for

It is of course possible its all bullshit from Pep but i would've thought Raiola would've straight out denied it and frankly its a pretty outlandish thing to say if its a lie, also I guess I'd be slightly surprised he knew rail was Mikh's agent off the top of his head?

I think this is the correct interpretation, he was just messing with Raiola after he called him a dog.

The other part where he said Pogba is a great player but they don't have enough money to buy him, seems to implicate that if he was to undertake that signing, like Raiola wanted to, he'd have to take him away from United (not cheap) and that also opens the door of Pogba not knowing the interest or even contemplating a transfer request, therefore Raiola was baiting City/Guardiola into disturbing United/Pogba on the chance that Pogba might be sad enough at United to even flirt with City, raising his market value in further contract extensions.

 

[Martial]

The UK journos losing their minds about the embargo is hilarious.

Cries of journalistic integrity and principles from the Daily Mail.

 

[Kapardin]

It's obviously also a comment against United. Your star wants out and wanted to come to us before the derby? Any manager says that about a rival before playing them and it would be seen as a dig.

No. Guardiola didn't intend to slander our club. He likes to maintain respect with Jose just to avoid the latter's sharp tongue nowadays.

His attack was intended for Raiola alone and we were dragged into it inadvertently.

 

[YouOnlyLiveTwice]

One thing i can say is that Pogba was clearly sulking on the pitch. I doubt it was about form or injuries. It’s a known tactic used by players when they are unhappy at the club or with their contract.

Agents do have too much power in the game, with Raiola being one of the worst.

 

[SteveJ]

"How much is that Poggy in the wndow?"

 

[Nytram Shakes]

meh, not really a story, obviously their has been issues behind the scenes with Pogba and Mourinho for a while, Mkhitaryan was also looking for a new club. So thier ganet is trying to find them one.

Thats about it really.

 

[Infra-red]

It was reported in some sections of the press in late February that Raiola was offering Pogba around the 'top clubs' in Europe vis-a-vis a summer transfer. Shockingly, City are now apparently regarded as a 'top club'!

https://www.si.com/soccer/2018/02/2...ho-manchester-united-transfer-raiola-roma-ffp

https://talksport.com/football/tran...d-star-paul-pogba-offered-top-clubs-his-agent

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/paul-pogbas-agent-offers-manchester-12066864

 

[RedDevil5]

No chance Pogba didn't know what was going on if this is true. And if this is true, and Pogba wants out, send him to the U23s for the rest of the season and tell him off this summer. Not worth the headaches.

 

[DomesticTadpole]

"How much is that Poggy in the wndow?"

 

[Traub]

When you factor in Mkhitaryan being offered just smacks of Raiola just phoning around and seeing if he could get a nice payday because there's no way a top team would watch Mkhitaryan at United and think he's worth throwing money at. Also if they were offered two months ago, the timing seems a little off. Giving Pep the benefit of the doubt with timing you'd say this would have to be early to mid January because Mkhitaryan was packaged for Sanchez at the end of the January window. If that's the case it makes no sense that Pogba would be unhappy as until the Spurs game at Wembley, which was after the window was closed, he was doing very well.

Plus how far behind City were we at this stage? Certainly not enough to throw in the towel yet IIRC. The more I think about it, the more it seems like he was ringing up clubs and getting the lay of the land.

 

[cyberman]

Di Marzio really is something, he has connections in all the right places it seems.

He gets the exclusives even when he's thousands of miles away with the English journos feet away from Pep!

 

[Morpheus 7]

Smart by Pepsi, Pogba needs to get a new agent. I knew that fat little man was going to cause trouble eventually.

 

[reddevil702]

Did Lukaku dump Raiola? He signed with another company.

Well, I hope so.

I think I remember seeing Lukaku sign with Roc Nation (Jay Z's agency) not too long ago.

 

[Smores]

No. Guardiola didn't intend to slander our club. He likes to maintain respect with Jose just to avoid the latter's sharp tongue nowadays.

His attack was intended for Raiola alone and we were dragged into it inadvertently.

In all politeness, how the hell do you know that? You don't do you? Stop talking bull

 

[SwansonsTache]

I believe that there are issues between Pogba and Mourinho behind the scenes.

But I also believe that this was merely a contract ploy, both Pogba and that fat feck Raiola knows that we would never sanction a sale to City. The damage to the clubs image would be beyond any price offered.

 

[manunited1919]

keeping a 90m player on the books is utter madness. If City give can give us 150m+ then we should definitely consider moving him on. No point keeping a disgruntled player just to prove a point.

If Liverpool want him you would be Ok to the club sanctioning the move?

 

[Blue doomer]

This.
He is a coward playing “mind games”.

Or getting his own back on the fat agent. Fair fecks if you ask me.

Raiola is a complete shithouse and would stab anyone and any club in the back.

 

[Adisa]

Look at how the conversation was initiated,it also looks like it was preplanned by Pep. He specifically mentions agents. Furthermore, Raiola's comments were more than a week ago.
Pep has had three press conferences between those comments and today.
Pep and Raiola come out of this very badly imo.

 

[clarkydaz]

Actually he never commented on whether he has offered Pogba or any United player to City.

Only that when he does offer players of any club to them, it is always to City rather than Pep.

No, Pep specifically enlightened us. And he didn't deny it

 

[redIndianDevil]

Well the fact that Pep was happy to let this out shows that they have no interest in Pogba and hard to think who would pay that sort of money for the inconsistent Pogba.

Well my scenario was an hypothetical one, what if Pogba is playing very well but downs tool to get better money at City and tries to force a move? My opinion is that we should sell him for as much money as we can get, not bench him and act petty to prove a point.

 

[deafepl]

Did Lukaku dump Raiola? He signed with another company.

Well, I hope so.

Ohh poor heartbroken Raiola.

 

[Varun]

"Take this down immediately"

If he replied "haha lolzy" I'd send the guy money.

 

[Apokalips]

Interesting low blow by Pep, I wonder if Mino and his goons are going to run into the Eithad and throw a chair at a City bus window.

HA! Someone needs to GIF Raiola's head on Conor McGregor attacking the bus (with Pep, et al on the bus)

 

[Varun]

"Take this down immediately"

If he replied "haha lolzy" I'd send the guy money.

 

[Oscie]

Couldn't give a toss. Of course agents offer their players to any club who they think might be interested all the time and City are going to be one of those clubs.

Way of the world. Every single United player on our books will have been offered to City at one point. Visa versa. Agents work for their clients. If tomorrow we decide we don't want Pogba why shouldn't his agent be prepared by sounding out likely buyers.

 

[Fridge chutney]

Pep is an absolutely classless cretin.

Whether what he said about Raiola is true or not, he knows exactly what he's doing.

 

[ZAGREB RED]

Have to be honest, sounds a bit far-fetched and a bit of a coincidence this comes out the day before a derby match. Maybe it is true, but it sounds a bit suspect.

 

[fishfingers15]

Ducker is a fair journo but it's the only rational explanation.
Pep is trying to get back at Raiola by embarrassing him. Man Utd and Pogba are just casualties of that.

I'd mostly agree, but Guardiola is deliberately making us casualties. I think he's been in the management game long enough to conveniently forget that he is dragging us in this mudslinging contest. Even in the remote chance that he didn't mean it, as a passionate fan of Manchester United, I'm sure you are outraged by us being unwitting casualties.

 

[edgar allan]

Smart by Pepsi, Pogba needs to get a new agent. I knew that fat little man was going to cause trouble eventually.

Agents act for their clients and the trouble you speak of usually means a new contract and more money for all involved.

 

[shaky]

Why does it automatically mean Pogba was angling for the move? I'd expect lowlife agents like Raiola to always be sounding out other clubs for interest in his clients, just so he can go back to them, dangling carrots and saying "by the way, just to let you know, these clubs are interested in you if you ever fancy a move". With the ridiculous amount of money he makes from each transfer, he'll be constantly plotting new moves for all his players, with or without their knowledge.

 

[KM]

It was reported in some sections of the press in late February that Raiola was offering Pogba around the 'top clubs' in Europe vis-a-vis a summer transfer. Shockingly, City are now apparently regarded as a 'top club'!

https://www.si.com/soccer/2018/02/2...ho-manchester-united-transfer-raiola-roma-ffp

https://talksport.com/football/tran...d-star-paul-pogba-offered-top-clubs-his-agent

https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/transfer-news/paul-pogbas-agent-offers-manchester-12066864

There we go

The tension between Manchester United’s Jose Mourinho and Paul Pogba is real, at least from one end of the equation. A source with firsthand knowledge says that Pogba’s representative, the super-agent Mino Raiola, has been calling other top European clubs in the past week to try and persuade them to go after Pogba in the summer transfer market. So far nobody is biting.

One of those top clubs pursued Pogba two summers ago and now feels like it dodged a bullet by not signing him and having Pogba completely change the club’s salary structure for its players. At the time, Pogba was signed for a world-record £89 million fee from Juventus and he reportedly makes £290,000 a week in wages. As for Mourinho, he’s telling people that he likes Pogba, has no interest in selling him and is just trying to motivate the French star to play better.

That's some first class reporting to be fair.

 

[edgar allan]

I'd mostly agree, but Guardiola is deliberately making us casualties. I think he's been in the management game long enough to conveniently forget that he is dragging us in this mudslinging contest. Even in the remote chance that he didn't mean it, as a passionate fan of Manchester United, I'm sure you are outraged by us being unwitting casualties.

Its nothing to do with the club or the manager so I don't see what to get outraged about?

 

[Akshay]

No. Guardiola didn't intend to slander our club. He likes to maintain respect with Jose just to avoid the latter's sharp tongue nowadays.

His attack was intended for Raiola alone and we were dragged into it inadvertently.

It's quite impossible for anyone outside Pep to know what he intended. How do you know his intentions so well?

Pep isn't an idiot. If you talk like this about your rival's players before a match, you know what kind of effect it will have.

 

[RedCoffee]

If this is true we are turning the club into a farce. Constantly buying and selling top players because we can’t get a tune from them. Who’s next on the hitlist? Sanchez?

 

[fishfingers15]

Its nothing to do with the club or the manager so I don't see what to get outraged about?

feck sake

 

[Adisa]

I'd mostly agree, but Guardiola is deliberately making us casualties. I think he's been in the management game long enough to conveniently forget that he is dragging us in this mudslinging contest. Even in the remote chance that he didn't mean it, as a passionate fan of Manchester United, I'm sure you are outraged by us being unwitting casualties.

I'm pissed tbh. It feeds into this Pogba wants out narrative.
It would be worst if Pogba has a strong now tomorrow.

 

[edgar allan]

It's quite impossible for anyone outside Pep to know what he intended. How do you know his intentions so well?

Pep isn't an idiot. If you talk like this about your rival's players before a match, you know what kind of effect it will have.

It puts a bit more pressure on Pobga, maybe that will inspire him to put in a performance?

 

[edgar allan]

feck sake

Honestly....are you outraged that an agent sounds out other teams??

 

[fishfingers15]

It's quite impossible for anyone outside Pep to know what he intended. How do you know his intentions so well?

Pep isn't an idiot. If you talk like this about your rival's players before a match, you know what kind of effect it will have.

Get his Aadhar card number

 

[AR87]

His attack was intended for Raiola alone and we were dragged into it inadvertently.

Inadvertently by specificially naming a player part of our current squad. Makes sense.