Agent to football stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Marco Verratti, Matthijs de Ligt and Gianluigi Donnarumma, Mino Raiola, has died following illness.
The 54-year-old agent’s death was confirmed in a statement released by his family on his Twitter handle on Saturday.
It comes after Raiola 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 confirmed his passing.
“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.”
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Raiola was previously hospitalised in January due to an unspecified issue.
He underwent very delicate surgery but the nature of the illness was not revealed.
According to reports said his condition was not life-threatening and that he would begin a period of rehabilitation at home – but he had been back in 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 him and it soon emerged they were premature.
And in a bid to debunk rumours of his death Raiola, in hospital in Milan, 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.”
Raiola’s right-hand man Jose Fortes Rodriguez told Dutch TV: “He is in a bad position, but he hasn’t died.”
However, barely two days later the death of someone who went from working in a pizza restaurant to becoming one of the most influential figures in the world game, brokering mega-deals in the process, has now been confirmed.
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.
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