Mino Raiola, one of football’s most famous agents, whose clients included Paul Pogba, Ibrahimovic and Erling Haaland, has died at the age of 54, his family announced on Saturday.

“In infinite sorrow we share the passing of the most caring and amazing Football Agent that ever was,” the Italian’s family said in a message on Twitter.

“Mino fought to the end with the same strength he put on negotiation tables to defend our players. As usual, Mino made us proud and never realised it,” the family added.

Raiola’s family did not say from what illness he had been suffering from but he had been at Milan’s San Raffaele hospital where he had previously survived scares.

Raiola’s death came after two days off battling with health issues, which made Italian media report he had died only for his agency, the head of San Raffaele’s intensive care department and eventually the man himself to deny he had passed away.

Raiola briefly played for FC Haarlem but after dropping out of a law degree, he became the technical director of the club. Born in Nocera Inferiore in Salerno, Nales, he and his family moved to Haarlem.