Football – Death of agent Mino Raiola

Mino Raiola is dead. Plagued by serious problems linked to a lung disease for several months, one of the greatest agents in modern football died this Saturday, at the age of 54, his relatives announced on social networks. The man who tied down some of the most significant transfers in history had been in critical condition for several days. Thursday, part of the Italian press had announced his death by mistake.

Renowned for his ability to raise the stakes (and commissions), the Italian-Dutch businessman had recently completed the transfers of Gianluigi Donnarumma to Paris Saint-Germain, Matthijs de Ligt to Juventus or Paul Pogba at Manchester United. “It is with infinite sadness that we announce the passing of the most caring and brilliant players’ agent ever.”wrote his family.

Polyglot, very comfortable with the media, close to his stars, Raiola had his entrances into the biggest clubs in the world, even if certain leaders, like Florentino Pérez, had sometimes decided to break ties so as not to give in to the particular methods of this negotiation genius. This summer, he should have been one of the great animators of the transfer window with the transfer of Erling Haaland, whose interests he managed. In recent weeks, his son had taken over part of his business.