Manchester United next manager Erik ten Hag pays tribute to Mino Raiola

Erik ten Hag has paid tribute to Mino Raiola following the death of the football agent last week following an illness.

Raiola, 54, had been struggling with illness for months and was forced to deny premature reports of his death earlier last week, but on Saturday, his family confirmed his passing.

The Italian-born Dutchman was one of football’s most powerful agents and included the likes of Manchester United star Paul Pogba and Borussia Dortmund forward Erling Haaland as two of his clients.

READ MORE: Manchester United star Paul Pogba breaks silence on Mino Raiola death with emotional tribute

Following Ajax’s 3-0 victory over PEC Zwolle at the weekend, United manager-in-waiting Ten Hag was asked about Raiola's death and took the opportunity to praise his impact on the sport.

“He was one of the most impressive agents and also very influential on the international player market," said after the win.

“He has meant a lot to football, especially to the players he represented. He did that in an excellent way. Mino has been at the basis of the development of many players.”

Ten Hag added that some of his squad were impacted by the tragic news ahead of their recent victory: “I saw that it moved the players. But because it was so close to the game, I didn’t do anything with it right away.”