Popular football super-agent Mino Raiola was announced dead on Saturday by his family after reportedly battling with illness for some time.
The 54-year-old Dutch-Italian agent had some of the biggest names in world football such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, and Erling Haaland under his management.
In their announcement of his death, Raiola's family paid tribute to Mino Raiola's 'strength he put on negotiation tables to defend our players,' while talking about the deceased.
Mino Raiola: Football's impassioned and charismatic super-agent
Raiola is regarded as one of the football agents that revolutionised the world of football even beyond just doing deals and orchestrating transfers for his clients.
ALSO READ
Mino Raiola: Full client list of one of the greatest agents in football history
He can change the entire transfer market - Super agent Raiola makes incredible Haaland claims
Mino Raiola: Revealing the Ultimate XI of one of football's greatest agents
The Dutch-Italian agent is famous for his hard stance and shrewd deal-making skills with clubs. Often saying that his loyalty is to his players (clients) and not to any club.
This philosophy made Raiola endeared to his clients. The agent famously boasted that none of his clients signed agreements with him and they could leave at any time but they never leave.
'Free agent' Mino Raiola
Another evidence of Raiola's charisma is the fact that he never incorporated a company or an agency to manage the affairs of his clients.
While there are popular agencies like Jorge Mendes' Gestifute and Jonathan Barnett's ICM Stellar Sports, Mino Raiola operated as sort of a 'free agent', representing his clients as just him, an individual, and never as an agency.
Consequently, the death and style of player representation of Mino Raiola beg the question of what happens to his long and prestigious roster of clients following his death.
Who will take over from Mino Raiola?
It is important to state that neither the family nor anyone in an official capacity has categorically disclosed who or how Mino Raiola's clients will be managed following his death.
In their announcement of his death, Raiola's family simply assured that "...Mino's mission of making football a better place for players will continue with the same passion."
With some of Raiola's biggest clients like Erling Haaland and Paul Pogba facing crucial summers ahead, it is important to know who will be stepping into the shoes of the deceased super-agent.
Vincenzo Raiola - Football's new super-agent
The position of successor to the deceased Mino Raiola is likely to be held by Mino's cousin and right-hand man of over 15 years, Vincenzo Raiola.
Vincenzo is well-known by the players and is often seen with Mino as they both complete transfers for their clients. So much so that when Italian authorities, and subsequently FIFA, banned Mino Raiola in 2019, the same ban was also extended to Vincenzo.
While Vincenzo's style is yet unknown due to working alongside the larger-than-life Mino Raiola, existing clients can be fairly certain that their business is being well-handled by Mino Raiola's trusted right-hand man.