Contrary to prior reports, super-agent Mino Raiola has NOT died. The 54-year-old took to Twitter to furiously shoot down claims that he had passed away.
Here's what he tweeted just hours after rumors of his passing gained pace:
"Current health status for the ones wondering: pissed off second time in 4 months they kill me. Seem also able to ressuscitate."
Raiola, agent to stars such as Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Erling Haaland, is reportedly in hospital with reports from Italy claiming he is fighting for his life. The Italian was admitted to hospital in January for 'planned' treatment on an unknown illness (per Daily Mail).
The head of the anesthesia and intensive care unit of the San Raffaele hospital in Milan, where Raiola is currently admitted, has condemned the reports, saying (via Daily Mail):
"I am outraged by the phone calls from pseudo journalists who speculate on the life of a man who is fighting."
Raiola has overseen some of the biggest transfers in the history of the sport. He was behind Paul Pogba's transfer to Manchester United from Juventus in 2016.
He is also overseeing Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland's next move, who is set to leave the Bundesliga side this summer. It remains to be seen what his involvement will be at this juncture given that he is currently undergoing treatment.
Mino Raiola agency full of star names
Mino Raiola has a star-studded group of clients in his agency. This includes the likes of Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Erling Haaland, Matthijs de Ligt and Henrikh Mkhytarian.
With his involvement in the Haaland deal, Raiola stands to earn as much as £25 million from agency fees as he works on finding a new club for the Norweigan for the right price.
The Italian's last comments on the Norwegian striker's future were (per Sky Sports):
"He can and will take the next step. Bayern, Real, Barcelona, City - these are the big clubs he can go to. City have won the championship five times in the last few years, much more than United. We all knew when we moved to Dortmund that this step would come."
He made a pretty sum from the Paul Pogba deal in 2016. The Daily Mail reports that the Italian went home with £20 million.