"?The £23m payment received by agent Mino Raiola for his role in Paul Pogba's world-record move to Manchester United was 'completely normal,' according to Juventus general manager Giuseppe Marotta.
Raiola's fee was the highest ever received for an agent acting as an intermediary in a football transfer, raising eyebrows from observers who claimed the influence of 'super agents' in the modern game was becoming a problem.
However, Marotta claims that Raiola's fee was justified purely because Pogba's transfer fee was so big and even went as far as to praise the agent for his role in getting negotiations over the line.
Juventus defend €27m fee to Paul Pogba's agent Mino Raiola as part of the midfielder's transfer to Man United. https://t.co/OOhafCjkMk pic.twitter.com/fz8el2STOV
"We're talking about a deal over €100m and it's absolutely normal that whoever contributed to the operation's conclusion should receive a significant financial return," Marotta told Il Corriere della Sera.
"From being simply an advisor, agents have now become intermediaries who also work on behalf of the club," Marotta said. "They propose offers and conduct negotiations."
Marotta previously defended the payment at Juventus' AGM earlier this season when he said the club made a profit on the player.
"He [Pogba] came from United for a price of around €1.5m," Marotta said. "After four years with us he decided to return to England. He wanted to leave at all costs. Our asking price was €105m plus €5m in bonuses, which is payable if the player renews with United or leaves for a fee of more than €50m.
"That brings us to a capital gain in the budget of €95m. Mino Raiola and his company will be paid €27m. Taking fees into account, the total gain for Pogba was €72m."