Manchester United\u2019s Executive Vice-Chairman, Ed Woodward, has apparently resumed talks with controversial super agent Mino Raiola in the hope of ironing out the quandary concerning midfielder and France national Paul Pogba as transfer rumours continue to complicate the long drawn situation that\u2019s been causing uneasiness at Old Trafford.<\/p>\n
Woodward and Raiola had in earlier months awkwardly severed contact after the flamboyant Italian-born agent of Pogba repeatedly made aggressive comments about Manchester United, targeting manager Ole Gunna Solskjaer in particular, at the turn of the year. However it seems the pair have recently been in dialogue again in an attempt to smoothen the ruffled feathers after a few weeks of duress triggered by Raiola\u2019s off-colour criticism of both United and their Norwegian manager.<\/p>\n
News has it that the gesture of goodwill, albeit an uneasy truce, was initiated by Woodward in the hope that Raiola will cease his rants in the media on United. Apparently French World Cup winner Pogba is reported to have played a role in keeping his controversial agent less confrontational as both parties seek to a way forward over his future.<\/p>\n
Raiola has again reportedly been publicising his own grand plans for Pogba to media outlets abroad and even hinted at a potential move to Real Madrid as it is open knowledge that the Bernabeu boss, Zinedine Zidane, is anxious to sign the talented French star. The new line of communication initiated by Woodward reconnecting both parties in talks about Pogba\u2019s future has resulted in Raiola taking a step back from coninuing his verbal onslaught on United. At least for the present time.<\/p>\n
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Both Woodward and Raiola were incommunicado for a while at the start of the year after Raiola had claimed United were \u201cout of touch with reality and without a sporting project.\u201d<\/p>\n
He continued his scorching blast with: \u201c I wouldn\u2019t take anyone there \u2013 they would even ruin Maradona, Pele and Maldini.\u201d<\/p>\n
The incorrigible agent then followed this up with a caustic tirade directed at Solskjaer just moments before the kick-off to United\u2019s 2-0 victory match over Chelsea last month on Twitter in response to the Norwegian\u2019s insistence that the club would decide Pogba\u2019s future and not his agent. Raiola then went into a heated rant questioning Solskjaer\u2019s right to keep Pogba \u201ca prisoner\u201d of Manchester United.<\/p>\n
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He lashed out at Solskjaeer: \u201cPaul is not mine and for sure not Solskjaer\u2019s property. Paul is Paul Pogba\u2019s.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou cannot own a human being already for a long time in the UK or anywhere else. I hope Solskjaer does not want to suggest that Paul is his prisoner.\u201d<\/p>\n
The wave of constant public antagonism from Raiola had forced Woodward to take a step back, away from the spotlight, although in reality both men are known to be on good terms prior to this recent squall. In fact, Woodward is known to have been highly appreciative of Raiola\u2019s support when his house was under attack by a faction of militant United men clothed in black and carrying flares in earlier months.<\/p>\n
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Raiola is rigidlyly insistent that United had earlier on agreed to consider selling Pogba the previous summer. Until now he is unrelenting in his pursuit of trying to get United to the sale of Pogba to Real Madrid. However, it is in the grapevine that behind closed doors, United refuse to be held at ransom with a gun held to their head by Raiola and will only act on pursuing what is in the best interests of the team and the club.<\/p>\n
Pogba is contractually tied to United until June 2021 with United having the additional safety net of another year\u2019s option on top of that which is expected to be triggered. The star is now thought to have fully recovered from the ankle injury which needed surgery at the start of the year and was reported to be on the brink of a return to training with the first team before the Coronvirus pandemic forced a temporary clamp on football.<\/p>\n
On the one hand there is Solskjaer, aided and abetted by Woodward, still adamant that he wants a fully-fit Pogba in his team and demanding that he stays next season alongside new signing Bruno Fernandes. On the other is the feisty and incendiary Raiola with his own agenda for Pogba. Obviously the plans that both have for the beleaguered French star caught in between a rock and a hard place are clearly at odds with each other.<\/p>\n
When football returns, it is this dichomotomy that could spell the swift and final end to the temporary truce struck between Mino Raiola and Ed Woodward for what it\u2019s worth after the lifting of the coronavirus pandemic restraints.<\/p>\n
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