Gianluigi Donnarumma snubbed AC Milan contract after being ‘bullied’ and seeing his family ‘threatened’
Agent Mino Raiola made shock claims after the Italian had fake Dollar bills thrown at him during Italy Under-21s match
MINO RAIOLA claims AC Milan 'bullied' Gianluigi Donnarumma after they also 'threatened' his family.
The super-agent broke his silence on the 'keeper's situation as he looks set to leave the San Siro after refusing to sign a new contract.
This led to angry Italy fans throwing fake money at the teenager during Italy's 2-0 victory over Denmark at the Under-21 European Championship.
Raiola briefed three news outlets including Sky Sports Italia of his comments before his interviewed was aired at midnight in Italy.
He said: "The situation had become too violent and hostile, so there was no way out.
“We took a decision that we didn’t want to take. It was nothing to do with money. We were threatened. Donnarumma’s family was threatened, both with not playing anymore and threatened with death.
"You can’t keep a player by threatening him.
“Now there is a genuine risk he could miss a year. His quality makes that improbable, but this is already on the verge of mobbing.
“We never even got to talk about money or release clauses, because we were not allowed to get that far, nor to think of what was best for Gigio. You talk about that when negotiations are 95 per cent there.
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“He was ready to sign a new contract, there were no doubts in his mind. They forced us to abandon the negotiations because of the environment created around him.
“I take the responsibility. They forced us. It was Milan that lost Donnarumma.
"He said to me, honestly Mino, I don’t feel it is right to carry on negotiations when these people are insulting and threatening me and my family.
“For example, there was a banner in front of the club headquarters.
"A club should protect its players and remove the banner. A club should support a player and encourage his career, not threaten him with having to be left in the stands.”
Raiola also denied that he is trying to persuade his client to leave for another European giant.
He added: “I have not spoken to any big club. We do not have any agreement with any other team.
"He already had offers from Juventus, Real Madrid and big clubs when he was 14 years old, so if he wanted to go, he would’ve done earlier.
"I can assure you there will be no rapid transfer.
“I had already guaranteed we would not leave on a free transfer, so there was no rush to get the contract signed.
"I wanted a more gradual approach. We were forced into making decisions we were not prepared to make, so we refused.
“I do not get along with [director of sport Massimiliano] Mirabelli at all. We are two completely different wavelengths.
"What he does is close to mobbing, if it isn't already. I won't put up with that behaviour, nor will I allow him to get away with it.
"I have no problem with Fassone and do not intend to wage war with Milan, but in these circumstances, I don't see how the situation can be resolved. They told us to make a decision by June 13, so we did."