MILAN: Mino Raiola, one of football’s most powerful agents whose high-profile clients included Paul Pogba and Erling Haaland, has died at the age of 54 in an Italian hospital after battling illness, his family said in a statement on Saturday.

“In infinite sorrow, we share the passing of the most caring and amazing football agent that ever was,” the statement published on Raiola’s official Twitter account read.

“Mino fought until the end with the same strength he put on negotiation tables to defend our players. As usual, Mino made us proud and never realised it.

“Mino touched so many lives through his work and wrote a new chapter in the history of modern football. His presence will forever be missed.”

Raiola’s family did not say from what illness he had been suffering from but he had been at Milan’s San Raffaele hospital where he had previously survived scares.

His death comes two days after Italian media reported he had died only for his agency, the head of San Raffaele’s intensive care department and eventually the man himself to deny he had passed away.

Born in Italy, Raiola grew up in the Netherlands and one of the biggest deals overseen by him was Pogba’s return to Manchester United from Juventus for a then world record fee of 89 millions pounds in 2016.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2022