Matthijs de Ligt’s agent, Mino Raiola, is in the news again talking about his client and this time, he has claimed that the former Kopa Trophy winner is ready for a new challenge.
Mino Raiola is a name many fans will have tired of hearing because the players he represents are some of the best in the game and he is always riding on that wave to make provocative statements.
Erling Haaland, one of Raiola’s clients is currently the target of many big clubs and the super agent has rode on that wave to make the race for Haaland look like a movie.
Asides being able to get his players into the biggest clubs for the biggest transfer fees, the agent is also very high maintenance which makes it difficult for many clubs to do business with him. Raiola is also in cahoots with many football big wigs and corporations.
All of these have served to make him a personality fans – and some football stakeholders – love to hate, but his clientele, contacts and track record make him one of the best in the game and deserving of the title, super agent.
This time around, Raiola is talking up a storm in the media about his client, Juventus defender Matthias De Ligt. The agent now claims that the 22-year-old Netherlands international is now ready for life after Juventus.
The former Ajax Amsterdam captain left his boyhood club for Italy in 2019 but has failed to totally justify the €75million transfer fee paid for him by Juventus, no doubt influenced by having Mino Raiola as his agent.
The young defender is now coming into his own this season as Bianconeri boss Massimiliano Allegri has trusted him more than any other defender in the team this season.
His time learning from the veterans Giorgio Chiellini and Leonardo Bonucci is finally paying off and the stats are there to prove it.
The young defender leads the rest of Juventus’ defence in aerial duels and tackles. In light of all these, Raiola has come out to state that the defender is now “ready for a new step”.
De Ligt’s next step is in the game, says Allegri
Raiola’s comment comes just a day after Juventus chief executive Maurizio Arrivabene told Bianconeri supporters to forget about the club making any big-money signings in January because the club wants to focus on footballing and financial stability.
Allegri was asked in a press conference about Raiola’s comments and if they were insensitive to Juventus’ current plight.
“What do I have to say? Repeat the question? Or not answer?” Allegri asked the journalists back.
“The next step for Matthijs is in the next game. He has to score a goal,” he went on.
“I haven’t heard what Raiola said. Matthijs is improving, he played really well in Bologna, he is 22 and has great quality, he can only improve as any other player, from Kulusevski to Chiesa and Rabiot.
“The growth must be our target, then we’ll see what happens in the market.”
Elsewhere, Barcelona will be looking to get into Raiola’s good books by doing him a favour which could be repaid with the opportunity to sign Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund in the summer.
Ajax right back Noussair Mazraoui is looking to leave the Eredivisie champions in the summer and wants to play for Barcelona.
Barcelona President Joan Laporta is considering signing the right back as a way to get Raiola to consider Barcelona as a prime destination for Haaland in the summer.
