In an interview published by Italian sports daily Gazzetto dello Sport yesterday, Mino Raiola announced he is off on his holidays for three weeks, but was happy to answer a few questions regarding the future of some of his decidedly high profile clients before packing his bucket and spade.
On the subject of the pink paper’s claims that one unspecified Chinese club has offered Zlatan Ibrahimovic a deal worth an eye-watering £1m per week, however, he was characteristically coy. “I won’t reveal [the offer] but it is very high,” he said. “He has offers from every continent but it is too early to paint the final picture.”
With his contract at PSG due to expire this summer, Zlatan is a striker in huge demand and Raiola revealed that several high-profile Premier League clubs have made enquiries about signing the 34-year-old, as well as Italian sides Inter and Napoli. With PSG also believed to be anxious to renew the Swede’s contract, the soon-to-be free agent’s apparent demands of a £600,000 weekly stipend to stay in Europe don’t seem all that ludicrous.
On the subject of Rumour Mill staple Paul Pogba, Raiola announced that the Juventus midfielder would be happy to stay in Turin should nothing more interesting present itself. “Nothing has changed for Paul compared to a year ago,” he said. “Juventus and Paul are on the same page here. If nobody can offer him an adequate project, then he’d be better off staying. In fact, we’re even ready to renew his contract.”
Romelu Lukaku is another of Raiola clients being linked with a high-profile summer move, with a club that can offer him Champions League football his preferred destination. “Moving to Juventus could be a great move, but watch out for PSG and Real Madrid,” said his handler. Last week the player’s father said he’d quite like his boy to line up for Manchester United and Bayern Munich and while Lukaku Jr played down his old man’s comments, Everton fans must know in their heart of hearts that the prospects of their star striker remaining on Merseyside next season look exceedingly bleak.
The Mirror reports that Stoke City plan to ramp up their interest in securing the services of West Brom striker Saido Berahino this summer, in a deal that would cost the upwardly mobile Potters £20m. Mark Hughes made no secret of the enquiries he made about Berahino’s availability during the January transfer window only to back off when it was made clear the 22-year-old would not be leaving the Hawthorns before the end of the season. Should West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace be more open to offers this summer, Stoke will have to fend off interest from West Ham and long-time suitors Tottenham to get their man.
The identity of the gaffer likely to be in charge of Manchester United next season remains as clear as mud, with Sir Alex Ferguson taking to Sky Sports to urge fans to be patient with Louis van Gaal. “You have to have some patience being a Manchester United fan and they have shown that over the years; in Matt Busby’s time, in my time,” said Ferguson, who one suspects would probably say anything to keep José Mourinho from taking over his old seat in the Old Trafford home dug-out. Amid reports that he has been approached to take over from Gary Neville at Valencia, Mourinho is believed to have told United to hire him by May, while today’s Sun say the club remain interested in poaching Mauricio Pochettino from Tottenham Hotspur. The Sun also report that Manchester City are ready to pounce now that contract talks between Barcelona and Lionel Messi have stalled and would be willing to pay the scurrying Argentinian goal-getter £800,000 per week over five years, should he decide to leave Camp Nou.
And finally, Antonio Conte wants Diego Costa to remain at Stamford Bridge, despite Atlético Madrid’s apparent interest in re-signing the chippy striker they sold to Chelsea for £32m in 2014. Costa is believed to be unsettled in his current surroundings, what with all that unfair criticism he gets for what he describes as his “strong and noble” style of play.
