The stars and big transfers impacted by Mino Raiola's death
Erling Haaland, Paul Pogba, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ryan Gravenberch all face deeply uncertain futures as their transfers risk being delayed after the death of super agent Mino Raiola
- READ: Super agent Mino Raiola died at the age of 54 on Saturday afternoon
- Raiola’s death could have a huge impact on the summer transfer window
- The super agent represented an array of big stars in the world of football
- Erling Haaland, Paul Pogba and Ryan Gravenberch could all be on the move
The death of Mino Raiola has sent shockwaves across the world of football and plunged the immediate futures of an array of stars into question.
Raiola was considered a ‘super-agent’ due to the glittering array of talent that he represented and a number will be on the move this summer.
Sportsmail looks at the stars impacted.
The death of super agent Mino Raiola has sent shockwaves across the world of football
MINO RAIOLA’S STABLE OF STARS
Erling Haaland
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Paul Pogba
Ryan Gravenberch
Matthijs de Ligt
Mario Balotelli
Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Marco Verratti
Gianluigi Donnarumma
Alessio Romagnoli
Denzel Dumfries
Donyell Malen
Moise Kean
Stefan de Vrij
ERLING HAALAND – BORUSSIA DORTMUND
Sportsmail exclusively reported how Manchester City are the frontrunnes to sign Haaland, one of the most coveted talents in football at present.
City manager Pep Guardiola was prepared to bury the hatchet with Raiola, someone he had feuded with in the past, to bring the striker in from the German giants. City are prepared to pay Haaland around £500,000-a-week to clinch the deal.
The Norwegian has a £63million release clause in his contract — a relatively low fee that would have meant Raiola and Haaland’s ex-City midfielder father Alf-Inge would earn massive payments, with a total outlay expected to be near £100m.
Erling Haaland is expected to join Manchester City from Borussia Dortmund this summer
PAUL POGBA – MANCHESTER UNITED
The France midfielder’s time at Manchester United is all but over with his contract up at the end of the season.
He may well have played his last game already, limping off in the 4-0 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield last week. Some United fans booed him off the pitch.
But what comes next for Pogba is very much up in the air, and it is here where Raiola’s guidance would have been crucial. French giants Paris Saint-Germain have been linked with a move, as well as Juventus – who Pogba has played for before.
Raiola was notoriously outspoken about Pogba’s United future across his second spell at the club.
Back in December 2020, he rattled the cage by saying: ‘I can say that it’s over for Paul Pogba at Manchester United.
“Paul is unhappy with Man United as he is no longer able to express himself in the way that he would like and as he is expected to. Paul needs a new team, a change of air.
‘He is under contract for the next 18 months and it will expire in the summer of 2022.’
Paul Pogba’s Manchester United future is all but over – but where will he go to next?
RYAN GRAVENBERCH – AJAX
It promises to be a summer of upheaval once again at Ajax, with manager Erik ten Hag heading to Manchester United. But a number of European heavyweights are circling for Ryan Gravenberch, the 19-year-old holding midfielder and Holland international.
Bayern Munich appear to be leading the chase. Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic confirmed their interest earlier this week.
‘He is a good player. We are in talks. With a transfer like this, a lot of things have to fit,” the Bayern chief has told Sky90. ‘It is difficult. All transfers are difficult.’
Ajax and Holland midifelder Ryan Gravenberch, 19, is expected to join Bayern Munich
ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC – AC MILAN
The evergreen striker, now 40, has scored eight times in 27 games for the Italian giants this season and AC Milan lead their rivals Inter by two points at the summit of the Serie A standings.
But his contract expires at the end of the season. Will he retire? Or will he head somewhere else?
There have been suggestions Milan are keen to extend Ibrahimovic’s deal for another year but it’s a contract that will need to be carefully negotiated with the Italian club looking to include a number of performance-related clauses due to the Sweden star’s age.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 40, could sign another one-year contract to stay with Inter Milan
STEFAN DE VRIJ – INTER MILAN
The 30-year-old Holland international is expected to leave Inter Milan on a free transfer when the season is over and despite his age, has been linked with an array of European heavyweights.
Members of the Italian football media have linked him with Manchester City and Tottenham, while reports earlier this week also suggested PSG could turn to him if they miss out on a free transfer for Antonio Rudiger.
That looks to be the case as the Germany international is set to head to Real Madrid in the summer.
Stefan de Vrij could have a host of big clubs to choose from when he leaves Inter Milan
MARIO BALOTELLI
One of Raiola’s most famous stars, Balotelli has been enjoying somewhat of a resurgence in Turkey and while you can never tell what he’s going to do next, it’s anticipated he would be staying put.
Balotelli has scored 12 goals in 27 games for Super Lig club Adana Demirspor so far this season.
Mario Balotelli has been enjoying a resurgence in Turkey and will likely stay where he is
Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt has struggled to maintain his best form in Italy
MATTHIJS DE LIGT – JUVENTUS
Raiola engineered the Holland defender’s move from Ajax back in 2019, with the centre-back signing a five-year contract.
But he has struggled to hit the heights expected of him in Serie A and there is an element of uncertainty to his long-term future in Turin.
‘We need to keep working, bringing in two or three players that we need, but we don’t need to scrap everything and start again,’ manager Massimiliano Allegri said this week.
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