Lionel Messi Agent Blasted for Obstructing Chelsea, Manchester United Transfers

Mino Raiola—the agent of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mario Balotelli and Paul Pogba—has hit out at Lionel Messi’s agent for preventing the player from moving to Manchester United or Chelsea.

As reported by Ben Jefferson of the Express, in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Raiola has claimed that had Messi been his client he would have changed teams “at least four times” and that the incentives behind those transfers would not be financially motivated:

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If he had been my client I would have made him change teams at least four times.

Not for money, because he would have earned many chances at extensions but because he would have improved.

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MANU FERNANDEZ/Associated Press

As noted in Jefferson’s piece, Messi has recently been linked with a potential £200 million move to the Premier League, but the player himself and Barcelona suits have moved quickly to dismiss the prospect of a potential transfer. It was something touched upon recently by club president Josep Maria Bartomeu, who re-affirmed the club’s desire to keep their prized asset, per the aforementioned piece:

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Messi will continue here this season, next season and the one after that. He has a contract and is happy, so I’ll refer you to his words.

We have no intention of selling Leo because we are very happy with him.

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Manu Fernandez/Associated Press

It’s a peculiar hypothesis put forward by Raiola. Messi has been at Barcelona since joining up with the La Masia academy as a 13-year-old and during his ascension through the Blaugrana ranks, he’s gone on to establish himself as one of the game’s greatest ever players. Indeed, the Argentina man has won the coveted Ballon d’Or trophy four times.

David Ramos/Getty Images

Raiola had this to say about the Barcelona man’s achievements, though, something that Spanish football expert Sergi Dominguez clearly doesn’t agree with:

In truth, Messi’s stature among the footballing greats is indisputable and if anything his unwavering loyalty to the Barcelona cause adds clout to his case to be considered as one of the game’s immortal figures. His collection of honours achieved with the Blaugrana certainly speak for themselves:

Competition	Times Won
Champions League	3 (2005/06, 2008/09, 2010/11)
La Liga	6 (2004/05, 2005/06 2008/09, 2009/2010, 2010/11, 2012/13)
Copa del Rey	2 (2008/09, 2011,12)
Ballon d'Or	4 (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012)

Raiola has engineered money-spinning transfers for the likes of Balotelli and Ibrahimovic throughout their careers and, while both players are undeniably talented, the amount of moves made mean they have been unable to make a sustained impression anywhere.

Indeed, Zlatan is considered one of the best forwards on the planet but is he revered as a legend at any of his previous employers?

Victor Fraile/Getty Images

The words from Raiola are a worry when you consider he’s the man who’ll be handling Pogba’s future further down the line. The young Bianconeri midfielder looks poised to become one of the most expensive players in the history of the game but a future rife with transfer activity and unwavering speculation doesn’t bode well for his development as a footballer.

By comparison, choosing a club and helping to build a dynasty would make Pogba’s name echo louder in the pantheon of footballing greats when he eventually hangs up his boots. And while Raiola may think otherwise, you suspect the Frenchman would be pretty pleased should he come to emulate the achievements of Barcelona’s iconic No. 10.