Veteran football agent Juan Figer dies

Veteran football agent Juan Figer, the Uruguayan who brokered lucrative deals for many of South America's biggest soccer players, died on Friday, his company said.

"It is with a heavy heart that I share with you the news that we close 2021 without the presence of my grandfather Juan," Stephanie Figer, who is herself a sports agent, said on Instagram.

"Sadly, after a fight, he has not resisted a heart attack and died today," a message on the Figer Group Instagram said.

Local media in Brazil, where he lived for many years, put his age at 87.

Figer was involved in some of the football world's most iconic transfers.

He played a role in the deal that took Diego Maradona to Napoli in 1984 and Romario's move from PSV Eindhoven to Barcelona.

He was also involved in the 1998 transfer of Denilson from Sao Paulo to Real Betis, which broke the world record at the time.

Among the other players for whom he negotiated deals are Brazilian internationals Socrates, Dunga, Robinho and Roberto Carlos.