Mino Raiola hits back at Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis over Lorenzo Insigne but insists “we’re not enemies”.
The agent is expected to start representing the Partenopei attacking midfielder, and recommended that Barcelona sign the Italian international.
Mino Raiola hits back at Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis over Lorenzo Insigne but insists “we’re not enemies”.
The agent is expected to start representing the Partenopei attacking midfielder, and recommended that Barcelona sign the Italian international.
De Laurentiis snapped back, saying the move would happen “over my dead body” and describing Raiola as a cartoon character.
“As usual President De Laurentiis has mistaken one thing for another,” Raiola hit back, speaking on Radio Crc.
“One day I’ll do a cartoon of him and make him understand the way things are. When he says I wanted to take [Marek] Hamsik away, I was ready to have him renew his contract.
“Our rapport? What rapport? He’s a great President for Napoli, he has his merits thanks to his ideology and his character but we have have different ways of doing things.
“We see things differently and sometimes he expresses himself strangely, even the team knows that. I can say that we’re not enemies.
“When he says that he [Insigne] will leave over his dead body, perhaps he’s forgetting that if he decides to leave in fours years when his contract expires, what can he do?
“Hamsik wanted to stay at Napoli for life, maybe others don’t have that desire. Everyone’s will has to be respected.”
Insigne was given the number 10 shirt for Italy in the defeat to Spain, with some suggesting he didn’t deserve it.
“They can all go to Hell. The 10 is just another number, it’s like 9 or 11. Isco, who was better than anyone, didn’t seem to be wearing the number 10. Who cares if he’s wearing 10 or 22?
“[FIGC President Carlo] Tavecchio was falling asleep in the stands, in Italy we cover things up when they go wrong.
“Insigne also came up against Real Madrid and we saw who he is, in another logic and context it’s normal things would change. [Marco] Verratti and Insigne would have fun in the Spain team.
“In Italy we have to change the mindset of coaches, everything else is just ludicrous controversy.”
The agent was then asked about Maurizio Sarri, and hinted that he could leave Napoli after this season.
“Napoli play a very modern football, they’ve won plaudits from all over Europe,” Raiola said.
“Winning and losing is a matter of details, of luck, but I’ve always said it’s very difficult to win in Rome and Naples.
“The environment makes it difficult, sometimes they get too carried away and if they can change in that regard they can win the Scudetto.
“I think this is Sarri’s last year, I know a lot of European teams have asked for him. I hope for his sake it’s his last year with De Laurentiis.”