Pogba's agent Raiola blasts Neville and doubles down on Solskjaer criticism

Paul Pogba's agent Mino Raiola fired back at Manchester United great Gary Neville on Wednesday and once again blasted Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for his "out of line" comments.

Raiola let rip at Solskjaer on social media moments before United's Premier League clash at Chelsea kicked off on Monday, a 2-0 win for the Norwegian's men which Pogba once again missed with his ongoing ankle problem.

The agent was livid with Solskjaer's pre-match assertion that "Paul is our player, not Mino's", with Raiola suggesting the under-pressure United boss should be worrying about things other than Pogba.

Sky Sports pundit Neville, who made 602 appearances for United during his career and is now a part-owner of League Two team Salford City, responded by saying his former club should no longer do business with Raiola.

Speaking on talkSPORT on Wednesday, Raiola said: "Gary Neville has such a big know-how of football that I'm surprised that his Salford City are not in the Premier League already.

"He should be on the board of directors at United and maybe ask them for a job. I don't care what Gary Neville says."

February 17, 2020

Raiola claimed Solskjaer misinterpreted an interview he conducted in Italy in which he was asked whether former Juventus midfielder Pogba would like a return to the country.

However, the agent stressed his assertion that "Italy is like home" for Pogba was merely his own personal point of view.

"I thought what Solskjaer said was out of line because he took part of sentences of an interview of mine and acted a little bit offended about it - that I was offering Paul Pogba to other clubs without permission whatsoever," Raiola added.

"If you read the whole interview, I was asked if Paul would fancy Italy and I said, 'Well, Italy is a second home'. But that's not the case now, he's concentrated on Manchester United, on getting back in the team as soon as possible and to make a great end to the season'.

"I've never said he's my [player].

"I've been asked if he would like Italy and I'm only answering as Mino Raiola."

Raiola went on to add: "There's no division between me and Manchester United.

"Ole already snapped out at me two times but that's onto him.

"It can be my opinion, that his comments about an article - that actually says that Paul is committed to Manchester United until the European Championship, and that is his only focus for now - was taken out of context, and [Solskjaer] should have read the whole thing."

France international Pogba, who returned to Old Trafford in a record deal from Juventus in 2016, has not played for Solskjaer's side since December and both Neville and his former United team-mate Roy Keane said they expected him to leave the club after this season.

For his own part, Raiola offered no long-term assurances beyond this campaign.

"He is committed to Manchester United, only to Manchester United, and to the European Championship for this year. After that, we will take to the club if necessary," Raiola added of Pogba.

"That is what I said in Italy and that is what I'm saying here."