Mino Raiola has once again become a hot topic after his latest digs at Manchester United and Barcelona. But have you got a comprehensive acknowledgment of this super-agent?
Pogba to Man Utd, De Ligt to Juventus, Haaland to Dortmund... the Italian-born but Amsterdam-raised broker has moved the most money during transfer windows.
A decision not to work in the family restaurant but instead to start an adventure in the world of football has proved to be a good one. He has learned seven languages-English, Italian, French, Spanish, Dutch, German and Portuguese, helped him to gain a foothold in the world of representation and he began working for the company Sports Promotion, being the intermediary between the Eredivisie, Serie A and European top-flight leagues.
Clients
Raiola represents a number of well-known players, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Paul Pogba, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Marco Verratti, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Matthijs de Ligt, Erling Braut Haaland, and Mario Balotelli. He was also the agent of former Czech midfielder Pavel Nedved for many years.
Fame
Most of his work is conducted behind the scenes, but he has a significant influence in the transfer market and has a growing roster of some of the most elite names in the sport.
In football, a 'super agent' is the term used to describe someone who is extremely effective at their job and are able to earn a salary of millions, wielding considerable power and influence in the market.
Acting as the intermediary who handles the business between a club and a player, agents are required to negotiate contracts and salary, oversee lucrative sponsorship deals, organise media appearances and provide journalists with interview access.
Agents such as Raiola boast comprehensive client profiles that include the most influential stars and the biggest earners in the sport. Raiola's roster and reputation, as well as his negotiation skills and contacts, marks him out as a powerful individual for clubs to deal with.
Deals
Pavel Nedved was his first transfer as a free agent. The Czech player went to Lazio and then joined Juventus in 2001, winning the Golden Ball not long after his arrival.
In 2004, Raiola was asked to take Ibrahimovic to Juventus in exchange for 19 million euros. Since then, and because the Swede has enjoyed the Italian's representation, he has been a globetrotter: Inter, Barcelona, Milan, PSG and Manchester United, La Galaxy...and now Milan.
However, Zlatan is not the only eccentric player represented by Raiola. Mario Balotelli is another in his stable, albeit he hasn't yet achieved the same success as his contemporary.
Raiola started being a super agent to rival Ronaldo and Di Maria's agent Jorge Mendes after finalizing Pogba's sensational return to Man Utd. More breakout stars' moves such as Kean, De Ligt and Haaland make the Italian-born broker's name heard more often around the world.
Styles
And to bring out the maximum financial potential of a player, an agent is an absolute necessity. Among them, some agents are really powerful. The likes of Jorge Mendes have become a household name in the world of football.
But there is another who is on a level of his own: Mino Raiola. Among all agents, he is the most volatile and doesn’t shy away from giving quirky responses every now and then.
For a Balotelli, a Pogba, a De Ligt or an Ibrahimovic, there is only one career, and they depend on a Mino Raiola to ensure that the rewards last a lifetime. For them, he is their most trusted ally.
For Raiola himself, this is just another summer of playing the market, of spotting weaknesses to which he can supply the antidote, and of counting the proceeds.