5 most valuable Mino Raiola clients right now
In such an active and inflated transfer market, the role of super-agents like Mino Raiola and Jorge Mendes is becoming more and more significant as time passes. Most of the transfer dealings are overseen by the said agents who take a substantial cut if something materializes.
As a result, the growing influence of agents in shaping the functioning of the current transfer market. The credit for bringing these revolutionary changes to fruition has to go to the enigmatic Mino Raiola.
Mino Raiola and his prominence over the game
The quintessential super-agent, Mino Raiola has initiated multiple extravagant deals in his long career. Paul Pogba's transfer saga was practically concocted by none other than Raiola himself. The 53-year-old agent was hugely involved in the Frenchman's departure from Old Trafford in 2012. Even so, he pocketed millions after negotiating a deal back to Manchester United, just four years later.
According to certain reports, Mino Raiola earns close to £800,000 in every deal that he finalizes. This kind of commission dwarves the money that other super agents like Jorge Mendes and Jonathan Barnett make when a deal goes through. While the duo handle as many as 149 and 673 clients respectively, Mino Raiola only has 77 players on his books.
Nevertheless, the 77 players that the Dutch-Italian represents are the who's who of football. From promising youngsters like Xavi Simmons to proven legends like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, all appear on Mino Raiola's roster. On that note, let's take a look at five of the most valuable clients of the leading super-agent at the moment:
#5 Marco Verratti - €55m
Enjoying his 10th season with PSG, Marco Verratti has gradually cemented his position in the midfield of the French giants over the past few seasons. The Italian technician has racked up a massive 348 appearances for PSG so far, having moved to Paris in the summer of 2012 from Pescara for a nominal fee of €12m.
Amidst serious interest from Barcelona in 2017, Verratti controversially dropped Donato Di Campli from the post of his agent in favor of high-profile Mino Raiola. While no transfer to Catalonia materialized, Raiola successfully negotiated an improved contract for his client in 2019, extending his stay in Paris until 2024.
Despite PSG signing a hoard of midfielders in the past few years, Verratti has remained a mainstay at the Parc des Princes. His unconventional creativity and agile stance enable him to continuously put in some top-notch performances. Aged 28, the Italian international is comfortably one of the best players in his position.
#4 Paul Pogba - €60m
At the center of one of the biggest deals in footballing history, Paul Pogba continues to be associated with Manchester United, six years on from his move. The flamboyant box-to-box midfielder is one of the most talented footballers on the planet as of now. To add to his marketable profile, the 28-year-old Frenchman is represented by none other than Mino Raiola.
As mentioned earlier, Mino Raiola played a crucial part in shaping the career of his most decisive client. Under the guidance of the Dutch-Italian super agent, Pogba controversially decided to leave Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United in 2012 to join Juventus on a free transfer. In Turin, Pogba established himself as one of the hottest properties in world football.
Possessing the habit of milking maximum profit out of a possible transaction, Mino Raiola exploited his client's popularity to the full extent. He initiated Pogba's record-breaking €105m return to United in 2016, pocketing a reported €25m as commission. With Pogba's current contract with the Red Devils set to expire next summer, Mino Raiola will have a busy day in office, come 2022.
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