Since the publication of this article, Mino Raiola has taken to Twitter to disprove reports of his death.

Football agent Mino Raiola has passed away at the age of 54 after battling an illness.

The Italian was hospitalised in January and forced to undergo emergency surgery, although the nature of the operation was not revealed at the time.

The high-profile agent, who represented the likes of Paul Pogba, Erling Braut Haaland and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, had been battling lung disease, according to various reports.

German newspaper Bild claimed that Raiola was in intensive care earlier this career due to a lung condition.

Raiola had been due to play a leading role in Haaland's Borussia Dortmund exit this summer, while Pogba is also set to leave Manchester United at the end of his contract to complete a lucrative free transfer.

Tributes have since been pouring in on social media, although his death has not yet been officially announced by his agency or family.