We need to talk about the way in which Mino Raiola can get in the way of Erling Haaland’s transfer to any major club this summer.
We all know Erling Haaland is one of the summer’s most coveted players throughout Europe, he is another one of Mino Raiola’s clients. The Italian businessman has a clear MO when he chooses his clients that fit a certain profile. Under his portfolio, he has stars such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, or Matthijs de Ligt. Haaland is only the latest from a flamboyant group of stars who love the spotlight above everything else. But that’s not what matters if you look at the transfer window and the decisions these players make.
Raiola has a strong grip on every decision these stars make in regards to their futures. Only Zlatan Ibrahimovic has earned his right to pick where he goes with no intervention from Mino. As a seasoned veteran, the Swedish striker no longer represents the biggest source of income for Raiola. Other stars such as Pogba and now Haaland are the ones with this title now. But the Borussia Dortmund youngster is the one who represents the new era in Raiola’s business.
Chelsea will find many obstacles with Haaland.
In reality, any club will find several major obstacles when they are trying to sign Erling Haaland either now or next summer. Due to the way he has conducted himself throughout his career as an agent, Mino Raiola has managed to alienate several clubs from dealing with him in any form. Chelsea wants Erling Haaland this summer but they will find several “bumps” in the way that are placed by Mino himself. Always thinking about money before the team’s project is at the core of his philosophy with players.
This is the exact reason he always seeks for like-minded players to become his clients for the long run. But Chelsea’s Director, Marina Granovskaia is not playing around when she negotiates. As soon as she identifies foul play on Raila’s behalf, she will step down from the negotiating table in the blink of an eye. Roman Abramovich doesn’t like to play around when he is dead set on signing any player, but he also hates being mocked with a bidding war. Raiola must choose his actions carefully when he is dealing with a club like Chelsea.