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Raiola attacks Barcelona: 'They treated De Ligt like cheese'

Raiola attacks Barcelona: 'They treated De Ligt like cheese'

Super-agent Mino Raiola, representatives of many star players, including Matthijs de Ligt, spoke to Voetbal International precisely about the Dutch starlet and his summer transfer saga that saw him make a move to Juventus.

"Barcelona thought, 'since De Jong is coming, he [De Ligt] will also come'. He was treated like a piece of cheese, as we say. But the reasons why they wanted him were wrong. Do you think a player like Pique was going to leave room for him?" he said.

"In Holland, they almost believe that Barcelona is a Dutch club and not a foreign one, they saw the transfer as a sacrilege. De Ligt is not interested in money, he just wants to play.

"Juve already wanted him a year ago but Ajax asked him to stay when he'd already made some agreements. Juventus was his first option, interest from other clubs like Barcelona or PSG surprised him," Raiola concluded.