Mino Raiola could become Ousmane Dembele’s new agent — and that spells bad news for Barcelona in their hunt for Borussia Dortmund sensation
French striker has endured dark past with representatives and could soon become client of one of most powerful men in game
MINO RAIOLA wants to represent Ousmane Dembele — and that spells bad news for Barcelona.
Borussia Dortmund’s French sensation is one of the Catalan side’s main summer transfer targets.
And should the Italian super-agent - who has tried to avoid doing business with the Catalans since overseeing Zlatan Ibrahimovic's Nou Camp exit in 2010 - link-up with Dembele, any move to Barcelona would suddenly look extremely unlikely.
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The 20-year-old has a colourful past with agents, which gives a little insight into the murky business.
His transfer from Rennes to Dortmund last season saw him forced to change representatives.
Dembele’s first agent was childhood friend Badou Sambague, who took him to the Rennes youth side in 2011.
Soon, after impressing, he became the subject of interest from Manchester City.
And this prompted Sambague and business partner Martial Kodjia to ask Rennes if he could break his youth team contract — a request which was met with disgust.
In 2015 he signed professional terms and soon became one of the most sought-after prospects in world football after a sensational breakthrough campaign.
Fearful of losing Dembele, Rennes reportedly hired French agent, Moussa Sissoko — not the Tottenham midfielder — to negotiate a new deal which removed the release clause.
And, after Dortmund opened talks, the then 18-year-old allegedly told relatives that unless he went through Sissoko the transfer would not go through.
He then informed Sambague and Kodjia that his agreement with the duo was over — and they claim that the teenager was afraid because of undue pressure put on him.
Sissoko — who is Dembele’s current agent — dismissed the claim as “completely false”.
And now, after seeing his stock rise even higher at Dortmund, the French hotshot could be set to change representatives once again.
Raiola is one of the most powerful agents in the world — and is reported to be worth more than Lionel Messi.
His most high-profile clients include Paul Pogba, Mario Balotelli, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Romelu Lukaku, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
And it is since the latter’s acrimonious exit from Barcelona in 2010 that Raiola has avoided doing business with the Catalans.