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Mino Raiola is a name that is very familiar to football fans. He represents a large number of high-profile footballers. Despite being a divisive figure in the world of football, Raiola offers great service to his clients and is very efficient when it comes to striking lucrative deals for them.
Mino Raiola does not shy away from making controversial statements
The super-agent is famous for making the news with his outlandish statements, mostly with respect to his high-profile clients. For example, he has publicly undermined his client Paul Pogba's club Manchester United on multiple occasions.
Raiola does this to sway public opinion and amp up the pressure on the clubs so that the players he represents can get their way.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five of Mino Raiola's most valuable clients.
#5 Marco Verratti (Paris Saint-Germain) - €55 million
Marco Verratti is one of the best midfielders in the world. The Italian international played a key role in Italy's triumphant run at Euro 2020. Verratti is a diminutive midfielder with a very low center of gravity. He is extremely agile and is excellent with the ball at his feet.
These qualities make him an elusive presence in midfield. The 29-year-old is also a wonderful passer of the ball and can upend defences with his precise and incisive through balls. Verratti is currently tied to PSG until 2024. He has been with the Ligue 1 giants since 2012 and is one of their most important players.
The Italian is very injury prone and that has stopped Verratti from maximizing his potential. But on his day, he is simply unstoppable.
#4 Paul Pogba (Manchester United) - €55 million
Mino Raiola has made headlines by speaking out about Paul Pogba's future multiple times in the recent past. It's safe to say that he has no admirers in the red half of Manchester, particularly after he undermined the club with his comments in December 2020.
He said:
“It is useless to go around it. Better to speak clearly, look ahead and not waste time looking for culprits. Paul at Manchester United is unhappy, he is no longer able to express himself as he would like and as expected of him. He has to change teams, he has to change the air.
“He has a contract that will expire in a year and a half, in the summer of 2022, but I believe the best solution for the parties is to sell it to the next market.
"Otherwise, the Old Trafford club, with which relations are excellent, knows that they would risk losing him on a free transfer, given that for the moment it is not the player’s intention to extend the contract.
"If someone doesn’t understand it – they understand very little about football. In any case, let them blame me if Paul leaves next summer.”
Despite those comments, Pogba continues to be at Manchester United but is set to become a free agent this summer. The Frenchman is one of the best playmakers in the world, but for now his future remains unresolved.
It is unclear whether Mino Raiola is going to seek a new contract offer from United for his client or if he is looking for a new destination for him.
In 19 appearances across all competitions for Manchester United this season, the 28-year-old has scored one goal and provided eight assists.
#3 Gianluigi Donnarumma (Paris Saint-Germain) - €65 million
Gianluigi Donnarumma emerged on the scene at the age of 16. He spent six years at AC Milan before finally leaving them as a free agent last summer to join PSG. Donnarumma gave a great account of himself during Italy's triumphant Euro 2020 campaign in 2021.
He led them to successive penalty shootout wins in the semi-finals and final of the competition and was named the Best Player of the tournament. Donnarumma has not exactly been able to nail down a starting berth at PSG. He has had to alternate with Keylor Navas, yet another world-class goalkeeper.
Donnarumma is one of the most valuable players represented by super agent Mino Raiola. His transfer market valuation stands at €65 million.
#2 Matthijs De Ligt (Ajax) - €65 million
Matthijs De Ligt captained Ajax to a run to the semi-finals of the 2018-19 Champions League before moving to Juventus at the end of that season. De Ligt's career has stagnated a bit since but there is no doubting the sheer potential of the 22 year old.
After playing second-fiddle to Leonardo Bonucci and Georgio Chiellini in his first two seasons, De Ligt has become a mainstay in the Bianconeri's starting lineup this season. He is a much improved player this term and is once again garnering plenty of attention from Europe's top clubs.
His current contract expires in 2024 but Juventus reportedly want him to sign a short extension. This is so that they can sell him for a huge amount of money at the end of the 2022-23 season.
#1 Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund) - €150 million
Erling Haaland has already established himself as one of the best strikers in Europe over the past couple of seasons. He is only 21 years old but is one of the most sought-after strikers in the world right now.
Haaland is almost certain to leave Borussia Dortmund in the summer when a €70 million release clause in his contract comes into operation. His agent Mino Raiola has already gone around visiting several European giants to hold discussions over a potential deal.
Since joining the Bundesliga outfit in January 2020, Haaland has scored 80 goals and provided 21 assistsin 78 appearances across all competitions for them. Despite being the youngest player on the list, Haaland is Mino Raiola's most valuable client.
