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High-profile super agent Mino Raiola has died at the age of 54 following an illness, his family has confirmed.
It comes after Raiola – the representative of such stars as Paul Pogba, Erling Haaland and Zlatan Ibrahimovic – was forced to take to social media in a furious final tweet while fighting for his life in hospital to slam suggestions he had died on Thursday.
But a statement from his family released barely 48 hours later on Saturday said: ‘In infinite sorrow, we share the passing of the most caring and amazing football agent that ever was.
‘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.
‘Mino’s mission of making football a better place for players will continue with the same passion.’
Raiola – who also represents Marco Verratti, Matthijs de Ligt and Gianluigi Donnarumma – was previously in hospital at the start of 2022 due to an undisclosed issue.
Raiola had very delicate surgery in January but the nature of the illness was not specified.
Reports said at the time the condition was not life-threatening and Raiola would begin a period of rehabilitation at home – only for him to return to intensive care in recent weeks.
There were then reports on Thursday in Italy that he had passed away, but some of his industry colleagues were left confused by the reports, having been in contact with the 54-year-old, and it soon emerged they were premature.
Raiola’s right-hand man Jose Fortes Rodriguez told Dutch TV: ‘He is in a bad position, but he hasn’t died.’
The super agent, in hospital in Milan, then wrote on Twitter: ‘Current health status for the ones wondering: p****d off second time in 4 months they kill me. Seem also able to resuscitate.’
Forbes estimated last year that Raiola’s personal wealth was in the region of £62m.
It was reported that Raiola earned as much as £20million from the world record £89m sale of Pogba from Juventus to Manchester United in 2016