Mino Raiola fighting for his life in hospital amid false death reports

The 54-year-old handles some of football's most renowned players and has aided in the revolutionization of the transfer market. 

Raiola was admitted to the hospital in January and had surgery, though neither the operation nor the severity of his sickness was made public, and Italian media reported that he had died early Thursday afternoon.

Friends of Raiola, as well as physicians and surgeons at the Milan hospital where he is being treated, have slammed "phone calls from phony reporters who speculate on the man's life who is battling," affirming that he is still alive, but in a severe situation.

Meanwhile, Raiola 

: 

“Current health status for the ones wondering: pissed off second time in 4 months they kill me. Seem also able to resuscitate”

Raiola was born in 1967 in the south of Italy and brought up in the Netherlands when his parents relocated to Haarlem a year later. In his early twenties, he began working as a football agent with Sports Promotions and was involved in the transfer of numerous prolific Dutch footballers to

, including Wim Jonk and Dennis Bergkamp to Inter in 1993.

He went independent a few years later and quickly distinguished himself as one of football's top agents, representing players like

Pavel Nedved

, who he helped transfer to

from

for €41 million. 

Raiola's current customers include

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

,

Paul Pogba

, and

Erling Haaland

, as well as Italian trio

Gianluigi Donnarumma

,

Marco Verratti

, and

Mario Balotelli

, whom he has helped move on a number of times in moves totaling over €130 million in total payments.

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