Raiola Denies Reports Of Sabotaging Haaland To Man United Move
Super football agent Mino Raiola has denied reports of sabotaging Erling Haaland’s move to Manchester United as a result of his demands not being met.
Haaland completed a modest £17m move from Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg to Borussia Dortmund on Sunday despite interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs including Juventus and Manchester United.
The 19-year-old Norwegian international previously worked with United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Molde and the Old Trafford hierarchy were keen to reunite him with his old manager.
Reports in England have suggested that the Red Devils missed out on Haaland because his agent, Raiola, who also represents superstars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Paul Pogba, chose to send him to Germany as United were unwilling to kowtow to some of his demands.
But Raiola has denied those allegations, insisting that Haaland chose Dortmund over United for football reasons despite holding talks with the English side.
"I do not know if Manchester United are briefing this but if they are then they are covering their own loss and that I find strange and disappointing," Raiola told The Telegraph.
"There was no fall-out between me and Woodward. It was just a normal negotiation and the player has chosen a different path.
"If they want to blame someone then, fine, blame me, but the player is happy. He has made his choice and we went through a normal process.
"The club that had the most direct contact with him was Manchester United. They spoke to him the most. Everybody had the chance to talk to him in person. We let that happen especially when he knows Ole.
"Clearly [Haaland] felt that at this moment it was not the right step in his career. There is nothing against Manchester United or Ole.
"He chose Borussia Dortmund ahead of them and other clubs and I'm very happy because he is going to the club he wanted to go to and that is best for him right now. If he wanted to go to Manchester United, I would have been obliged to take him to Manchester United but he did not."
"When you are 19 then maybe you prefer not to go to the Premier League," added Raiola.
"The offer from Manchester United was good. It was not about the economics. It is just the player chose Borussia Dortmund at this stage of his career."
