David Moyes rejected the chance to sign Paul Pogba at Manchester United
According to Daniel Taylor of the Athletic, former Manchester United boss David Moyes rejected the chance to sign Paul Pogba when he was in charge at Old Trafford.
Rather have had anything to do with the player, the Scot made the call due to concerns over the player’s agent Mino Raiola.
A super-agent who represents some of the best talents in the world, Raiola has had a number of run-ins with United over the years.
The 52-year-old was heavily involved in the saga which led to Pogba originally leaving the club for Juventus in 2012. The incident did not go down well with Sir Alex Ferguson calling him a ‘s**t bag.’
It appeared as if Raiola and United had put things behind them in 2016. Three of his clients made the move to United that summer – Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
According to the report, Moyes so fearful of having to deal with the agent that he chose to pursue Cesc Fabregas instead.
Talor reveals that United could have signed the Frenchman for £65million in 2013. He was also keen on the idea.
“But he also had a few questions that, seven years on, still feel relevant”
Jose Mourinho would be the man who would eventually bring Pogba back to United. Signed for a club-record fee, he has enjoyed a mixed time in his second spell at United.
Raiola too has reared his ugly head with a number of uncalled for statements regarding the player’s future at the club in recent months. (h/t The Guardian)
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Moyes did not last long as United manager. He was fired even before the season was up. However, he was right in his assessment that Raiola would be an unwelcome distraction.