Kenneth Perez denounces the role of agent Mino Raiola in the most recent dispute between PSV and Mohamed Ihattaren. The midfielder has been training individually from Roger Schmidt’s A-selection since Monday because he has not fulfilled some agreements. For example, last week in the run-up to the Champions League reunion with Galatasaray in Istanbul, he reported sick and then flew to France a few days later for an interview with Raiola about his future. He would also not have had a pleasant influence on the atmosphere within the selection in the preparation by constantly indicating that he wants and will leave the club.
Perez does not understand that PSV has not or cannot bring the two in question, Schmidt and Ihattaren, closer together, even though the Eindhoven club has done everything in any case. “It’s a very great talent and he represents a sum of money,” the analyst told Monday evening ESPN about the nineteen-year-old footballer. “I understand that they have tried everything, but this trainer does not see it in him at all. They have to convince him that he should work with him after all.” Presenter Milan van Dongen noted that Ihattaren has already ‘did a lot’. Perez: “That’s right, but he’s a boy with a child’s brain. He is still a child and needs help. PSV is of course not a social workplace, but you do have to guide such a boy to get the best out of himself. Also for your own wallet.”
“He has now come back and is trained. Then you have to give him a certain feeling as a club.” Perez acknowledges that Ihattaren himself is also to blame for the current situation, especially after he flew to the south of France a few days after reporting sick. “One hundred thousand percent. What I don’t understand, he has a fervent agent,” Perez said to Raiola. “Ihattaren, of course, did not think: I call in sick and I fly to Nice. I like that. That was done in consultation with Raiola. That you think that as almost the world’s most famous agent for your player. I think that’s quite special. Or they must have had plans to completely destroy the relationship with PSV.”
Freek Jansen is convinced that Raiola knew it would come true. “Of course he is not otherworldly. It would come out left or right,” assured the journalist of Football International. Perez regrets that. “You have to take all the training minutes to get better, to get fit. Then things like this don’t help. I think it’s a shame that a successful agent like Raiola fills this role again.” The Dane states that PSV should have indicated prior to the preparation that it wanted to cooperate in a transfer. “He came back very fit. Then he shows that he wants to make something of it. PSV then shows that he has no chances after all. I think that’s unlikely. I understand that once is enough, but then you don’t have to let him connect again.”
There are currently no serious offers. It is only known that the Italian Napoli has shown interest. Ihattaren still has a contract in Eindhoven until mid-2022 and his future has been uncertain for some time, as talks between Raiola and PSV about a longer contract previously came to nothing. The day before the home game against FC Midtjylland, in the third qualifying round of the Champions League, Schmidt refused to answer questions about the banned Ihattaren. “To be honest, I’ve said enough on this topic in press conferences. The club announced something on Saturday and that’s all. I will not comment further on that,” emphasized the German trainer.