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Sir Alex Ferguson has blamed Paul Pogba's Manchester United departure on the Frenchman's notorious agent, Mino Raiola.

Pogba left United for Juventus on a free transfer in 2012 aged just 19, having spent less than three years with United following a much-publicised move from Le Havre.

United received a mere £800,000 in compensation from Pogba's move and the France international has since won three Serie A titles, was named Best Young Player at last year's World Cup and is, arguably, the most coveted player in world football.

Ferguson felt United's chances of convincing the midfielder to stay were dashed after his first meeting with Raiola.

“There are one or two football agents I simply do not like,” Ferguson writes in his new book, Leading . “And Mino Raiola, Paul Pogba’s agent, is one of them.

"I distrusted him from the moment I met him. He became Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s agent while he was playing for Ajax, and eventually he would end up representing Pogba, who was only 18-years-old at the time.

“We had Paul under a three-year contract, and it had a one-year renewal option which we were eager to sign. But Raiola suddenly appeared on the scene and our first meeting was a fiasco.

"He and I were like oil and water. From then on, our goose was cooked because Raiola had been able to ingratiate himself with Paul and his family and the player signed with Juventus.”