Self-Obsessed Mino Raiola Is Not Helping Paul Pogba's Case at Manchester United

The rise in prominence of football agents is one of the more sinister aspects of modern football.

A product of the rampant capitalism that has come to dominate the footballing landscape, it's now commonplace for an agent to hold a deal to ransom, or to mouth off in the press to generate a move for their client with the ulterior motive of lining their own pockets.

For the most part, it's a necessary and manageable evil.

But Mino Raiola is taking the absolute p**s.

The notorious 'super agent' claims he has Paul Pogba's best interests at heart. That's what he said back in February when he back-handedly accused Ole Gunnar Solskjaer of condoning slavery, and that's what he will say in defence of his latest outburst.

It's no coincidence that, just after Pogba returned to the Manchester United team with a sublime goal to get the comeback started against West Ham, Raiola has once again declared his career in England 'over.'

This is not someone with his player's best interests at heart. If that were the case, he'd be wary of Pogba's delicate situation, and the abhorrent, disproportionate treatment he gets from corners of the UK media. The unjust narrative that he is a diva who puts himself above the club.

He would take into consideration those trying to drive a wedge between the player and the club for the sake of a few clicks, and he would avoid, wherever possible, loading them up with ammunition.

Instead, here he is, just as his client is finally in the headlines for the right reasons, cutting him off at the knees.

At best, Raiola is tone-deaf and has failed to read the room. At worst, he is a sinister, self-obsessed egomaniac willing to pile more pressure onto a vulnerable player to further his own interests.

Pogba, of course, won't be faultless here. You're naive if you think he was blissfully unaware of his representative's intentions. There's every chance he sees this as an opportunity to drive home a move away - something he has publicly wanted in the past, and is in some way complicit in Raiola's seedy efforts to make it happen.

It's Raiola's responsibility, however, to protect his client. You know, to preserve his reputation, and to ensure he can go into his work every day without worrying about negative headlines and how he is being hung out to dry by the tabloids and the two-bit radio stations.

Yet to Mino, Pogba is just a number. A means of making money. Something to manipulate and exploit.

Just like every one of his other clients.

We've seen this with Raiola a million times before. His public batting for Gianluigi Donnarumma led to the keeper being vilified as a 'snake' by AC Milan. He even spoke out against the youngster's own decision to renew his contract - tell me how that is someone with anything but his own interests in mind?

This latest shambles is a shame, because Pogba has shown real signs of putting his issues behind him and getting on with it. By and large, he has been a model professional over the past year.

You fear, though, that as long as he is being undermined by the poisonous influence of the guy bending his ear, we will keep ending up back at square one.

It's Groundhog Day, and it's no good for anyone but Mino Raiola and his ego.