Leading football agent Mino Raiola has died aged 54 after a long battle with lung disease.
One of football’s most recognisable agents, Raiola counted Erling Haaland, Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and dozens of other well-known players among his clients.
Raiola was born in Nocera Inferiore in Italy in 1967 and his family emigrated to Haarlem in Holland shortly afterwards.
After spending his teenage years playing in academies, Raiola became a youth coach at HFC Haarlem before beginning his career as an agent with Sports Promotion, where he helped to broker deals for players including the likes of Dennis Bergkamp, before setting up his own operation.
His hardball negotiating tactics and willingness to take on clubs and managers in the media earned him a divisive reputation, however, he continued to boast one of the most formidable lists of clients in modern football.
According to Transferkmarkt, the value of players under Raiola’s representation exceeded £600m, with Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland the most valuable.
In recent months, Raiola and Haaland’s father had been negotiating with Manchester City over a move to the Premier League club this summer.
Other players Raiola brought to the Premier League include Pogba, Ibrahimovic, Mario Balotelli, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Moise Kean.
More follows...
