Making Mino Raiola your new agent could be seen as handing in a transfer request at Manchester United.

The super-agent recently said this about the Premier League giants:

“I wouldn’t bring anyone there now,”

“They’d also ruin Maradona, Pele and Maldini. Paul needs a team and club like the Juventus team he played in.”

Via The Mirror

That was a big statement given Mino is Paul Pogba’s agent, the French World Cup winner has been linked constantly with a move away from Old Trafford in the last few transfer windows. Both the player and his deal broker have done little to quell those rumours.

Raiola’s negative statement about United took another twist today as it was revealed by sources such as Sky Sports that he had agreed to take on Man United star Jesse Lingard as his latest client.

I’m pretty sure the Man United hierarchy won’t be jumping for joy at the news, they’ll know that Mino comes to the negotiating table with strict demands and is obviously not scared to run down the club to the press.

It’s a pretty bold move for Lingard.

The England international had an ordinary 2019, where he didn’t score in the league. As well as not scoring in the English top flight this term, Jesse has also failed to notch up an assist!

There’s plenty a Red Devil supporter out there that have questioned the forward’s worth to the team this season.

In fairness, Lingard did impress in United’s two impressive Premier League wins over Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham Hotspur. In such games, the twenty-seven year old leads the press, runs all day for his team and doesn’t go hiding.

Manchester Utd boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer stated in a recent press conference that he believes Jesse has turned a corner after a poor 2019:

“Jesse has had his ups and downs as I’ve spoken about before,”

“Of course we want him back scoring goals and making assists, there is no one who runs as much as Jesse, he is a great trigger in the pressing, a bubbly character.”

“But say the games against City and Tottenham, they are examples of how important he can be for us.”

Via TalkSport

The problem is that the United faithful didn’t see enough of that determination in the last twelve months and they still expect their attacking players to either score or set-up goals for other attackers.

Jesse Lingard’s contract is up in 2021 and he was being linked with a move away from Old Trafford even before his change in agents. The Metro have reported that United are weighing up offering Lingard plus £45m for Leicester City playmaker James Maddison.

Now I’m not a firm believer that Manchester United want rid of Jesse Lingard this month. I do think Solskjaer really appreciates the traits the England star brings to United’s team when he’s on-form.

But the longer Lingard fails to produce the goods on a consistent basis, the easier it will be for Man United to say farewell to their youth product.

The player needs Man Utd more than they need him because I don’t think a bigger club will sign the player and give him as much game time. Mino Raiola might get him great payday elsewhere but it won’t be the same for Lingard if his performances aren’t being enjoyed at the Theatre of Dreams!

Posted on January 6th, 2020 by scott
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