Matthijs de Ligt

Barzagli retired after this past season, Chiellini is 34 and Bonnucci is 32. I'd prob agree for this season it doesnt guarantee a lot of time , but by next year im sure he'll be firmly entrenched. Can't fault him for this at all. Now Ruganni on the other hand might be a little unnerved, cause I'm failry sure they signed another CB too (Demiral?)
Heard they were after him but thought they would drop their interest now that De ligt is a possibility. Didnt hear about barzagli retiring!lol
 
Barzagli retired after this past season, Chiellini is 34 and Bonnucci is 32. I'd prob agree for this season it doesnt guarantee a lot of time , but by next year im sure he'll be firmly entrenched. Can't fault him for this at all. Now Ruganni on the other hand might be a little unnerved, cause I'm failry sure they signed another CB too (Demiral?)

We've not signed Demiral yet, I hope we do and we keep him but he may go on loan or even stay at his current club for another season if de Ligt comes.
Rugani needs to prove himself, he's been on the bench for 4 years and has not truly convinced yet. Since Sarri trained him at Empoli and improved him greatly, I hope he can finally make him reach the next step.
Chiello might miss some matches due to injury, which has become more and more common in his last seasons.
I think having some kind of competition, one that's not impossible to overcome, can only be good for de Ligt.
 
Interesting article from dutch newspaper translated on Reddit about Raiola:

Article about Raiola in de Volkskrant (Dutch paper, translated)
renderTimingPixel.png

The Raiola method: 'He walks off the table four times to make the best deal'.

During each transfer period, Mino Raiola is the conductor. Ajax has been waiting months for the departure of Matthijs de Ligt. Raiola couldn't care less. How does the dealmaker play the game that should lead to big rewards for footballer and broker?

Step 1 The attraction You can say a lot about Mino Raiola, but he's not a flatterer. Many club directors of the Haarlemmer become crazy when they try to enter into a (new) contract with a player he supervises.

He tries to manipulate everything, bets ridiculously high, keeps coming up with additional demands', says a director of a Dutch Eredivisie club, who prefers to remain anonymous. It makes you crazy. Until at a certain moment you say: let's do it, because then we'll be rid of the bullshit. Or: fuck off. But then he has his way. Then he can go shopping with that player.

The power lies with the player, especially if Raiola (51) accompanies him. Ajax has long since decided what it wants to receive for captain Matthijs de Ligt (about 75 million euros), but has been waiting for months for the coveted defender and his business advisor Raiola to come to an agreement with a club about the desired contract terms.

Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are pushing up the signature of the teenager's salary in a megalomaniacal game. The counter would already be at 12 million euros. The fact that Raiola will also be cashing a lot is no secret.

Ajax is experiencing another turbulent Raiola summer. A year ago Ajax director Edwin van der Sar complained that Raiola 'pushed' another growth brilliant, Justin Kluivert, to the exit. Kluivert went to AS Roma, where he had an unstable season, while Ajax conquered Europe.

The top talent of the next generation has also joined Raiola, 17-year-old Ryan Gravenberch. And not because he wants to earn many millions before the age of 20, his father emphasizes by phone. But because of Raiola's personal approach, or rather his partner José Fortes Rodriguez. José is really interested in man Ryan. Other agents want to profit most of all.

The fact that Raiola often arranges top salaries and has contacts with numerous top clubs is a bonus, says Gravenberch senior. In the media he is often portrayed negatively, as someone who only thinks of his own money. But everyone knows that he can do great things for a player.

Raiola started out on his own in 1996 after first assisting other agents. 23 years later, with reportedly hundreds of millions in his pocket, he's still a key player. A recent short suspension for still unexplained grounds by the Fifa has not detracted from his popularity. All parents of top talents want their children to be accompanied by him,' says Gravenberch senior.

The son of Italian immigrants established his name mainly through his collaboration with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swedish striker proved that extravagance, brutality and top performance go hand in hand at many dream clubs. In his book Ik, Zlatan (I, Zlatan) Ibrahimovic tells us in abundance about his first meeting with Raiola. The 'go fuck yourself's flew over a mountain of sushi back and forth over the table.

The bad-boy collaboration that resulted in many titles and sky-high salaries is to the liking of many young footballers. The fact that Raiola is condemned by many clubs, colleagues, trainers and journalists because of his barbaric style - the nickname 'Rioola' often sounds - does not interest them. They meet up with him once and allow themselves to be guided by the privateer, who studied law and speaks seven languages.

Footballer Oussama Assaidi (30) about his first meeting with Raiola in 2012: 'He turned it so that I should be happy that he wanted to represent me. Yet he intrigued me. He looks tough, but is really concerned about you. When it comes to signing contracts, he goes through fire for you. And that's what it's all about.

Step 2: Demanding work ethics Dream big. Sacrifice. Believe in it. Dream big. Sacrifice. Believe in it. One cannot do without the other, according to the football agent who currently represents some sixty players of varying name and fame.

Raiola himself gives the best example. Anyone who is ever in his company sees a man whose mouth never takes a break. He talks to football players or other important people in football, or he calls them. This summer he is not only working on a deal for De Ligt, but also for Manchester United player Paul Pogba, Feyenoorder Steven Berghuis and many other agreements.

He also demands this work ethic from the players he accompanies. Raiola in de Volkskrant, three years ago: 'That's the recipe to become the best in your profession; work hard, stay focused'.

Twenty-player Assaidi: 'He was pushing me. More assists, more goals: then I can take you away even better," he said.

Gravenberch senior: 'It is emphasized that Ryan improves tactically, technically and in terms of mentality.'

Raiola passes on lessons from his best players to other clients. The training work of Pavel Nedved on Ibrahimovic, the winning mentality of Ibrahimovic on Pogba. It's not that strange that the decent De Ligt joined forces with street fighter Raiola; he wants to know exactly what the top players do to get this far.

De Ligt, who was still called 'fatty' in the youth, invests every moment of the day to get better in all areas. He is a power station with an excellent pass, captain of the CL semi-finalist Ajax, strong in front of the enemy goal. All the big clubs want such a player, even if only to show their supporters that they have hooked the biggest fish.

Step 3 Awareness With players making progress, there are two options according to the Raiola method: a substantially improved contract with the current club or a substantially improved contract with a new club.

This is met with incomprehension. AD columnist Hugo Borst called De Ligt a money wolf. Raiola tells his players: what the outside world thinks doesn't count. Football careers are short. Many young players are already signing at big clubs for nice salaries before their breakthrough. This often leads to nothing. From a sporting point of view, then.

This is not always the case, by the way. Gravenberch junior could already sign at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, clubs that could have made him a millionaire, says his father. Mino gave the options and his opinion. He thinks: you can break your leg tomorrow, so make sure you are financially independent as soon as possible. It's easier to switch from there. We thought that Ryan should stick to Ajax in terms of development. Well then that just happens. Mino always lets the player choose for himself.

Assaidi was able to go to Ajax, Galatasaray and Liverpool in 2012 after a strong season with Heerenveen. He chose the English superpower, where he didn't play much, but made millions. No regrets. Mino had arranged a top contract. If I would get all my bonuses, I would be one of the best paid players. While I was coming from Heerenveen!

Assaidi didn't pay Raiola a penny for his services. It is common knowledge that the Haarlemmer stipulates percentages of a (future) transfer fee. When Paul Pogba went from Juventus to Manchester United for 105 million in 2016, Raiola would have paid more than 20 million, although he denies it. Years of work and expensive external expertise precede a top deal, he argues. In addition: For one Pogba there are nineteen non-Pogbas. And you often don't earn anything from that, but they expect me to represent them well.

Assaidi: 'I thought it was fine that he also took good care of himself. It was good for both of us. He is open to criticism. If I thought it would take too long for a new club to arrive, he would get down to work. In 2015, I arranged my own club in Dubai. Then we broke up, no hard feelings.

Gravenberch also has no contract with Raiola. Gravenberch senior: 'It is based on mutual trust. If he arranges extra money for himself in a deal, then he has done well. It just shouldn't be at the expense of my son's money.

Step 4 Never be satisfied Raiola doesn't slide a pillow under the backs of club directors to first talk a few words. He gets straight to the point and doesn't shy away from confrontation. He fought with Johan Cruijff, Pep Guardiola, Sepp Blatter, Silvio Berlusconi and Sir Alex Ferguson ('if he has become sir, there is still hope for me').

Assaidi: 'He fights for you. He walks off the table four times to make the best deal. Other agents I had really wanted to keep clubs friendly, which could be at your expense. Mino's doesn't give a shit about that.

Raiola in the Volkskrant: 'I'm never satisfied. When I walk away and they have said yes, I think for a moment: they have very easily said yes.

Commonly used means is fencing with an offer from another club. Or negotiating all kinds of extras (bonuses, fringe benefits, limited transfer fee) for the player. Club directors suspect that they are aiming for an impasse. If the player's value threatens to drop, Raiola can increase the pressure or involve another club in the game.

Clubs benefit from him too', says fellow business manager Hakim Slimani. Believe me: they ask for Mino. He's a great dealmaker.

His broad player portfolio gives him power. Clubs have a hard time getting around him. If a club closes the door because of what they consider to be unreasonable demands, it often opens again because they want to do business with another Raiola player. In this way you sometimes see a bundle of Raiola players end up at the same club (PEC Zwolle, AZ, Paris SG, Juventus).

Although Raiola may be one of the most persistent negotiators, in fact all the agents are like that. They all want the best,' says Earnest Stewart, former director of NAC and AZ. He describes the relationship he had with Raiola as 'excellent'. An agent wants the best for his client. I never found him unreasonable or aggressive in his approach.

Step 5 The network Raiola has connections everywhere, with some clubs he has been doing extensive business for years, he even thinks about strategies. He's been in the business for so long that players he's supervised have become club directors themselves, like Nedved (Juventus) and Maxwell (Paris Saint-Germain). That offers advantages.

Manager Slimani: 'Everyone knows that he has excellent contacts. That he is good at bringing players away.

Slimani himself lost client Gregory van der Wiel to Raiola in the summer of 2012. The defender panicked, according to Slimani, because he had previously rejected nice clubs and suddenly became second choice with Ajax. Then players think that Mino can deliver. In Gregory's case he succeeded, he brought him to PSG where more of his players were already walking around. Mino did a good job, I don't blame him. He's a dealmaker on a different playing field than I operate on. I learned from it, you shouldn't just think: a good player sells himself. You also have to enthuse clubs. In the meantime, Gregory has returned to me.

Step 6 The first team guarantee The reputation of De Ligt will change. Several players went down on their hefty price tag and ditto salary. However, the expensive newcomer often has the advantage that he is assured of a starting spot for at least the first season because of the enormous investment that the club has made in him. Slimani: 'Nobody wants capital destruction and loss of face. The club will do everything it can to make the new star succeed.

In his time with Real Madrid (2008-2010), Rafael van der Vaart went mad about the fact that competitor Kaká remained the preferred choice, while he himself had the feeling that he would fit in better with the team. However, Van der Vaart was bought for 13 million euros and Kaká for 65 million euros, their salaries also varied widely.

Ibrahimovic could only not let Barcelona dance to his liking, at all the other clubs he served, teams were set up according to his needs. He took the free kicks and the penalty kicks. So his star continued to shine. Just like that of Raiola, the man who initially shouted at him.
 
Sounds like a carefully crafted spin piece to absolve him & his clients of their impact on the overall balance of the game. Agents like pizza boy are like litigious lawyers, merely there to get their ridiculous share of the big footballing money pie adding nothing to the game. Great narrative but grossly inaccurate in the balance of things
 
Interesting article from dutch newspaper translated on Reddit about Raiola:

Article about Raiola in de Volkskrant (Dutch paper, translated)
renderTimingPixel.png

The Raiola method: 'He walks off the table four times to make the best deal'.

During each transfer period, Mino Raiola is the conductor. Ajax has been waiting months for the departure of Matthijs de Ligt. Raiola couldn't care less. How does the dealmaker play the game that should lead to big rewards for footballer and broker?

Step 1 The attraction You can say a lot about Mino Raiola, but he's not a flatterer. Many club directors of the Haarlemmer become crazy when they try to enter into a (new) contract with a player he supervises.

He tries to manipulate everything, bets ridiculously high, keeps coming up with additional demands', says a director of a Dutch Eredivisie club, who prefers to remain anonymous. It makes you crazy. Until at a certain moment you say: let's do it, because then we'll be rid of the bullshit. Or: fuck off. But then he has his way. Then he can go shopping with that player.

The power lies with the player, especially if Raiola (51) accompanies him. Ajax has long since decided what it wants to receive for captain Matthijs de Ligt (about 75 million euros), but has been waiting for months for the coveted defender and his business advisor Raiola to come to an agreement with a club about the desired contract terms.

Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are pushing up the signature of the teenager's salary in a megalomaniacal game. The counter would already be at 12 million euros. The fact that Raiola will also be cashing a lot is no secret.

Ajax is experiencing another turbulent Raiola summer. A year ago Ajax director Edwin van der Sar complained that Raiola 'pushed' another growth brilliant, Justin Kluivert, to the exit. Kluivert went to AS Roma, where he had an unstable season, while Ajax conquered Europe.

The top talent of the next generation has also joined Raiola, 17-year-old Ryan Gravenberch. And not because he wants to earn many millions before the age of 20, his father emphasizes by phone. But because of Raiola's personal approach, or rather his partner José Fortes Rodriguez. José is really interested in man Ryan. Other agents want to profit most of all.

The fact that Raiola often arranges top salaries and has contacts with numerous top clubs is a bonus, says Gravenberch senior. In the media he is often portrayed negatively, as someone who only thinks of his own money. But everyone knows that he can do great things for a player.

Raiola started out on his own in 1996 after first assisting other agents. 23 years later, with reportedly hundreds of millions in his pocket, he's still a key player. A recent short suspension for still unexplained grounds by the Fifa has not detracted from his popularity. All parents of top talents want their children to be accompanied by him,' says Gravenberch senior.

The son of Italian immigrants established his name mainly through his collaboration with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. The Swedish striker proved that extravagance, brutality and top performance go hand in hand at many dream clubs. In his book Ik, Zlatan (I, Zlatan) Ibrahimovic tells us in abundance about his first meeting with Raiola. The 'go fuck yourself's flew over a mountain of sushi back and forth over the table.

The bad-boy collaboration that resulted in many titles and sky-high salaries is to the liking of many young footballers. The fact that Raiola is condemned by many clubs, colleagues, trainers and journalists because of his barbaric style - the nickname 'Rioola' often sounds - does not interest them. They meet up with him once and allow themselves to be guided by the privateer, who studied law and speaks seven languages.

Footballer Oussama Assaidi (30) about his first meeting with Raiola in 2012: 'He turned it so that I should be happy that he wanted to represent me. Yet he intrigued me. He looks tough, but is really concerned about you. When it comes to signing contracts, he goes through fire for you. And that's what it's all about.

Step 2: Demanding work ethics Dream big. Sacrifice. Believe in it. Dream big. Sacrifice. Believe in it. One cannot do without the other, according to the football agent who currently represents some sixty players of varying name and fame.

Raiola himself gives the best example. Anyone who is ever in his company sees a man whose mouth never takes a break. He talks to football players or other important people in football, or he calls them. This summer he is not only working on a deal for De Ligt, but also for Manchester United player Paul Pogba, Feyenoorder Steven Berghuis and many other agreements.

He also demands this work ethic from the players he accompanies. Raiola in de Volkskrant, three years ago: 'That's the recipe to become the best in your profession; work hard, stay focused'.

Twenty-player Assaidi: 'He was pushing me. More assists, more goals: then I can take you away even better," he said.

Gravenberch senior: 'It is emphasized that Ryan improves tactically, technically and in terms of mentality.'

Raiola passes on lessons from his best players to other clients. The training work of Pavel Nedved on Ibrahimovic, the winning mentality of Ibrahimovic on Pogba. It's not that strange that the decent De Ligt joined forces with street fighter Raiola; he wants to know exactly what the top players do to get this far.

De Ligt, who was still called 'fatty' in the youth, invests every moment of the day to get better in all areas. He is a power station with an excellent pass, captain of the CL semi-finalist Ajax, strong in front of the enemy goal. All the big clubs want such a player, even if only to show their supporters that they have hooked the biggest fish.

Step 3 Awareness With players making progress, there are two options according to the Raiola method: a substantially improved contract with the current club or a substantially improved contract with a new club.

This is met with incomprehension. AD columnist Hugo Borst called De Ligt a money wolf. Raiola tells his players: what the outside world thinks doesn't count. Football careers are short. Many young players are already signing at big clubs for nice salaries before their breakthrough. This often leads to nothing. From a sporting point of view, then.

This is not always the case, by the way. Gravenberch junior could already sign at Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, clubs that could have made him a millionaire, says his father. Mino gave the options and his opinion. He thinks: you can break your leg tomorrow, so make sure you are financially independent as soon as possible. It's easier to switch from there. We thought that Ryan should stick to Ajax in terms of development. Well then that just happens. Mino always lets the player choose for himself.

Assaidi was able to go to Ajax, Galatasaray and Liverpool in 2012 after a strong season with Heerenveen. He chose the English superpower, where he didn't play much, but made millions. No regrets. Mino had arranged a top contract. If I would get all my bonuses, I would be one of the best paid players. While I was coming from Heerenveen!

Assaidi didn't pay Raiola a penny for his services. It is common knowledge that the Haarlemmer stipulates percentages of a (future) transfer fee. When Paul Pogba went from Juventus to Manchester United for 105 million in 2016, Raiola would have paid more than 20 million, although he denies it. Years of work and expensive external expertise precede a top deal, he argues. In addition: For one Pogba there are nineteen non-Pogbas. And you often don't earn anything from that, but they expect me to represent them well.

Assaidi: 'I thought it was fine that he also took good care of himself. It was good for both of us. He is open to criticism. If I thought it would take too long for a new club to arrive, he would get down to work. In 2015, I arranged my own club in Dubai. Then we broke up, no hard feelings.

Gravenberch also has no contract with Raiola. Gravenberch senior: 'It is based on mutual trust. If he arranges extra money for himself in a deal, then he has done well. It just shouldn't be at the expense of my son's money.

Step 4 Never be satisfied Raiola doesn't slide a pillow under the backs of club directors to first talk a few words. He gets straight to the point and doesn't shy away from confrontation. He fought with Johan Cruijff, Pep Guardiola, Sepp Blatter, Silvio Berlusconi and Sir Alex Ferguson ('if he has become sir, there is still hope for me').

Assaidi: 'He fights for you. He walks off the table four times to make the best deal. Other agents I had really wanted to keep clubs friendly, which could be at your expense. Mino's doesn't give a shit about that.

Raiola in the Volkskrant: 'I'm never satisfied. When I walk away and they have said yes, I think for a moment: they have very easily said yes.

Commonly used means is fencing with an offer from another club. Or negotiating all kinds of extras (bonuses, fringe benefits, limited transfer fee) for the player. Club directors suspect that they are aiming for an impasse. If the player's value threatens to drop, Raiola can increase the pressure or involve another club in the game.

Clubs benefit from him too', says fellow business manager Hakim Slimani. Believe me: they ask for Mino. He's a great dealmaker.

His broad player portfolio gives him power. Clubs have a hard time getting around him. If a club closes the door because of what they consider to be unreasonable demands, it often opens again because they want to do business with another Raiola player. In this way you sometimes see a bundle of Raiola players end up at the same club (PEC Zwolle, AZ, Paris SG, Juventus).

Although Raiola may be one of the most persistent negotiators, in fact all the agents are like that. They all want the best,' says Earnest Stewart, former director of NAC and AZ. He describes the relationship he had with Raiola as 'excellent'. An agent wants the best for his client. I never found him unreasonable or aggressive in his approach.

Step 5 The network Raiola has connections everywhere, with some clubs he has been doing extensive business for years, he even thinks about strategies. He's been in the business for so long that players he's supervised have become club directors themselves, like Nedved (Juventus) and Maxwell (Paris Saint-Germain). That offers advantages.

Manager Slimani: 'Everyone knows that he has excellent contacts. That he is good at bringing players away.

Slimani himself lost client Gregory van der Wiel to Raiola in the summer of 2012. The defender panicked, according to Slimani, because he had previously rejected nice clubs and suddenly became second choice with Ajax. Then players think that Mino can deliver. In Gregory's case he succeeded, he brought him to PSG where more of his players were already walking around. Mino did a good job, I don't blame him. He's a dealmaker on a different playing field than I operate on. I learned from it, you shouldn't just think: a good player sells himself. You also have to enthuse clubs. In the meantime, Gregory has returned to me.

Step 6 The first team guarantee The reputation of De Ligt will change. Several players went down on their hefty price tag and ditto salary. However, the expensive newcomer often has the advantage that he is assured of a starting spot for at least the first season because of the enormous investment that the club has made in him. Slimani: 'Nobody wants capital destruction and loss of face. The club will do everything it can to make the new star succeed.

In his time with Real Madrid (2008-2010), Rafael van der Vaart went mad about the fact that competitor Kaká remained the preferred choice, while he himself had the feeling that he would fit in better with the team. However, Van der Vaart was bought for 13 million euros and Kaká for 65 million euros, their salaries also varied widely.

Ibrahimovic could only not let Barcelona dance to his liking, at all the other clubs he served, teams were set up according to his needs. He took the free kicks and the penalty kicks. So his star continued to shine. Just like that of Raiola, the man who initially shouted at him.
That’s an awful lot of words; C**t would have sufficed!
 
Sounds like a carefully crafted spin piece to absolve him & his clients of their impact on the overall balance of the game. Agents like pizza boy are like litigious lawyers, merely there to get their ridiculous share of the big footballing money pie adding nothing to the game. Great narrative but grossly inaccurate in the balance of things

Well it doesn't say he's been good for the game, just that he tries at all costs to present the best offer to his clients, which is his job.
I think he couldn't care less about the balance of the game and tbf he doesn't have any obligation to do so.
 
Well it doesn't say he's been good for the game, just that he tries at all costs to present the best offer to his clients, which is his job.
I think he couldn't care less about the balance of the game and tbf he doesn't have any obligation to do so.

That's not really revelatory though is it? Getting the most for yourself is predicated on ensuring you do that for your client
 
That's not really revelatory though is it? Getting the most for yourself is predicated on ensuring you do that for your client

Oh I don't doubt he tries to gain the most out of his job, I'm not saying he's a saint, but the better he pleases his clients and the better deals he makes, the most he gains. So of course he tries to be the best at his job, which I think is understandable.
Then, his job might have negative consequences on other things. But I think it's ridiculous to expect he keeps in mind what's the greater good for the game when dealing.
 
Oh I don't doubt he tries to gain the most out of his job, I'm not saying he's a saint, but the better he pleases his clients and the better deals he makes, the most he gains. So of course he tries to be the best at his job, which I think is understandable.
Then, his job might have negative consequences on other things. But I think it's ridiculous to expect he keeps in mind what's the greater good for the game when dealing.


But do any of the agents ? It's not their mandate or responsibility .

Raiola is obviously much better at getting the best deals for his clients and himself , and he doesn't give a fuck about the outfall of his dealings.

And presumably why certain clubs including City , if I am correct, are reluctant to deal with him.
 

Don't have an account? Register now and see fewer ads!

SIGN UP
Back
Top
  AdBlock Detected
Bluemoon relies on advertising to pay our hosting fees. Please support the site by disabling your ad blocking software to help keep the forum sustainable. Thanks.