Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer responds to Paul Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola

Solskjaer tells Raiola to remember football is a ‘team sport’

Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Manchester United via Getty Images)

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer told Mino Raiola to realise that football is a “team sport” after the super-agent revealed that Paul Pogba wishes to leave Manchester United.

United were knocked out of the Champions League in a 3-2 defeat to RB Leipzig on Tuesday night, despite a late rally inspired by Pogba off the substitutes’ bench.

The build-up to the game was dominated by Raiola’s interview with Tuttosport, in which he claimed that Pogba is unhappy at Old Trafford and that he would like to leave in the January transfer window.

Solskjaer denied that Raiola’s comments had affected United’s preparations and said that the decision to name Pogba among the substitutes was a tactical one, but criticised Raiola for speaking publicly about his client’s future.

“The squad is fine,” Solskjaer said, when asked whether team harmony had been disrupted by Raiola’s comments. “They are a team and they stick together.  

“As soon as Paul's agent realises this is a team sport and we work together, the better and that's maybe the last thing I'll say on that. I'm not going to talk about Paul's agent anymore.”

Solskjaer would not say whether he has spoken to Pogba about his agent’s comments.

“What we speak about in the background is something else,” he said. “I'm not going to talk about Paul's agent anymore.”