Rome (AP) – The well-known and influential footballer advisor Mino Raiola is dead. The Italian, who recently represented striker Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund, died at the age of 54.
This was confirmed by his office of the German Press Agency on a telephone request. Earlier, Raiola’s family broke the news of the death on the player’s agent’s verified Twitter account.
Raiolo succumbed to an illness for which he had been treated in a clinic in Milan. “Mino fought to the end with the same vigor he showed in negotiations to defend his players,” the statement said in English and Italian. “Mino has been a part of the lives of so many players and has written an unforgettable chapter in the history of modern football.”
Powerful and feared
Born south of Naples and raised in the Netherlands, the manager has been one of the most powerful and feared advisors at clubs over the past decade and a half. Most recently, he was haggling with BVB about the future of Haaland, who is being courted by top international teams. He also represented stars like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, world champion Paul Pogba and Italy’s Mario Balotelli.
There was still excitement about Raiola on Thursday when the media reported on the consultant’s death. Shortly thereafter, his Twitter profile said: “Current health status for those who are interested: I am pissed off that they are killing me for the second time in four months. I seem to be able to rise again.”
The chief physician at the San Raffaele Clinic in Milan was outraged by the reports, but at the same time said that the patient was fighting for his health. Raiola’s confidante José Fortes Rodriguez told broadcaster NOS that things were “looking bad” for the agent.