Mino Raiola recently pocketed £20 million for being Paul Pogba's agent. The Frenchman's £89 million move to Old Trafford earned his agent a big slice of pie and the Italian thinks that someone else is about to come along and line his pockets even more. Raiola thinks the first £200 million man is around the corner but who might it be?
Despite agent fees taking Pogba's move over the £100 million mark we haven't officially crossed that line yet with the former Juve man coming in at £4 million more expensive than former highest fee holder Gareth Bale. But despite the £100 mil still being allusive Raiola told talkSPORT that we're only three years from doubling the milestone.
Talking to Jim White the agent said, "For sure [someone will move for £200 million] with how the economy is evolving, especially in the Premier League. It will be within 2 or 3 years, probably a Brazilian, a wonder-child like the new Neymar or Messi. It can be an Englishman also."
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But who in the footballing world could really go for that money in the next couple of year? We've taken a look at the candidates:
The World Beaters:
Lionel Messi:
Don't kid yourself, if Barcelona said Messi was available tomorrow and let the bidding begin then there'd be someone willing to drop £200 million on the Argentine superstar. Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, PSG and someone in China would all be after the five time Ballon d'Or winner instantly and his price would rise to a solid £200 mil. He might well be 29 but he'd still be worth every penny.
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Neymar:
Like his Barcelona teammate Neymar would almost instantly be worth that much money if nothing else because of his marketability. Once again it's the same clubs who would be interested in Messi would love to snap up the pretender to his and Cristiano Ronaldo's best player in the world moniker. The former Santos player's release clause is 250 million euros for the last three years of his contract which would break the barrier.
Paul Pogba:
He was so close to hitting that £100 million mark, that's the fee that was rumoured for so much of his transfer saga this summer. However at only 23 the Frenchman has plenty of chance to break the record again. Florentino Perez was apparently unsold on the midfielder but a few good seasons at Old Trafford and there's no doubt he could be swayed to splash out on a new galactico.
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Antoine Griezmann:
Apparently the pretender to Wayne Rooney's seemingly unfillable shoes at Manchester United. The captain can't have too long left at Old Trafford and Griezmann is the man they apparently want to replace their soon to be record goal scorer. But £200 million? Well there's no guarantee that Atletico Madrid would want to or need to sell so they can name their price, add in desperation and competition and he could get to that mark.
The Young Pretenders:
Marcus Rashford/Anthony Martial:
Yes these two are different players but there's a chance one will kick on and leave the other in his dust and that might settle the argument. A year ago people laughed at the price United paid for Martial, they weren't laughing too long but the Frenchman has now regressed, if he gets back to his heights then he could be worth some serious wonga. Rashford came out of the blocks from nowhere and has just gone from strength to strength. His goalscoring ability and Englishness makes him a £200 million possibility.
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Gabriel Jesus/Gabriel Barbosa:
A pair of Brazilian Gabriels. One is 19, the other is 22, between them they've scored just 33 league goals in Brazil and yet they've both just been sold for roughly £30 million each!
Jesus will have to wait a year before getting on the end of Raheem Sterling's crosses for Manchester City but Barbosa can start upping his price immediately if he starts banging them in for Serie A side Inter Milan. Barcelona were supposed to have first dibs on Gabigol.
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Renato Sanches:
Another teenager, Renato Sanches must have been watched by perspective buyers for all of his 24 league games with Benfica before announcing a move to Bayern Munich part way through last season. At the Euros the Portuguese central midfielder showed just how much talent he has. He'll have plenty of competition at Bayern but that could just make him even better. Could definitely be worth that mega money in 2-3 years time.
The Outsiders:
Oliver Burke:
Oh yeah sure I'm the crazy one! Actually I've got no defence for that, suggesting Burke could be worth that might be enough to have me sectioned, rocking back and forth in a padded cell whilst hugging myself. The Scottish teenager became the most expensive man from the country recently moving from Nottingham Forest to Red Bull Leipzig. The German's held off interest from Bayern and Liverpool to land Scotland's Gareth Bale. Who knows right?
David Luiz:
This was going to be a piss take about how Chelsea will inevitably sell him on for an insane price before signing him back for £200 million later down the line but the more I considered this the more a crazy move to China dawned on me! After Shanghai paid around £50 million for Hulk literally anything is possibly in the Far East. Asamoah Gyan was on more than £200k-a-week out there for fucks sake!
Catinho:
This is a player with literally nine lives! He's scored at World Cups, European Championships, Champions League finals, won the Premier League and is a viral internet sensation. He's worth the shirt sales alone and he's a cat! Granted you'd have no idea where he's walking off to late at night but as long as he's not caught by any of the red tops surrounded by catnip you're on to a real winner:
Benjamin Aguero:
Okay so we're going to have to wait slightly more than three years for this one, after all he's only seven, but with his footballing heritage Sergio Aguero's son must be right up there. If your dad is one of the best strikers in the world, your godfather is one of the best players of his whole generation, Lionel Messi, and your granddad happens to be one of the greatest players ever, Diego Maradona, then your garden and down the park training is going to put you ahead of most players. No pressure kid but if the £200 million mark hasn't been smashed by the time you're ready to sign for Barcelona or Manchester City then you'll be the man to do it, as long as the idea of living in their shadow hasn't broken you!
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football, Transfers, Mino Raiola