Mohammed Ihattaren broke his silence after months and did not mince words towards Sampdoria: “I fleed because of what happened there. At 19-year-old, I was left in a hotel room alone. I felt abandoned. I could not take it anymore, and they did not respect the pacts. It was like I did not even exist for them.”
The winger claims that he did not receive his wages in an interview with Telegraaf: “They did not set up anything at the bank or with the insurance. What would have happened if I broke my leg? I could not trust them anymore. But I did not go missing and was never unreachable. They could have just asked for me in Utrecht or to Ibrahim Afellay or Zakaria Labyad, and they would have found me.”
Ihattaren added to his tirade against Sampdoria: “Their team manager said that they paid every two months, but that did not happen and started to bother me. I did not meet any of their executives besides him. I was not playing, and there were no prospects of ever doing so. Mino Raiola told me to stay calm. The coach did not even know I was left-footed. I thought that I had to fend for myself. They had me undergo three MRIs on my left knee, although there was no damage. I wanted to train, but it was as if they did not understand me or did not want to. The group was irritated for the lack of lucidity, and I argued with Antonio Candreva, although I respect his career.”
Ihattaren will reportedly join Utrecht on loan after the rough spell at Sampdoria: “I have to get back in shape, and I know I can do it quickly. I want to feel like a footballer again, which is fantastic.”