To secure the signing of a top player—or any specific player—football clubs must do more than simply satisfy the requirements of the player’s current team.
While meeting the financial demands of the selling club is often regarded as the most crucial step in any transfer, it is only one part of a complex negotiation process. Securing a player’s services typically involves additional factors, including the interests of the player’s representatives.
In many instances, some industry insiders argue that the agent’s fee is, in fact, the most significant component of the deal. If a player’s entourage is not fully content with the terms offered, they may decide to redirect their client to another interested club.
Clubs aiming to complete transfers with minimal complications often prioritise ensuring agents are well compensated. This usually involves offering a competitive fee—one that is more appealing than what other potential suitors might propose.
Given their stature as one of the leading football clubs globally, Arsenal often encounter high financial expectations from agents when expressing interest in a player. As a result, the Gunners have consistently paid substantial fees each season in order to finalise player acquisitions.
However, despite these payments, Arsenal are not the highest spenders in England when it comes to agent fees. According to the Daily Mail, that distinction currently belongs to Chelsea, who have recorded a net expenditure of £60.3 million on agent fees this season.
Arsenal do not feature among the top five spenders in this category, having been outspent by Manchester City, Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Newcastle United. As cited by the same report, the Gunners rank sixth, with a total outlay of £22.8 million paid to intermediaries during the current campaign.
While it is commendable that the club has managed to keep its net spending on agent fees relatively moderate, this figure may well increase in the upcoming transfer window, particularly if there are genuine intentions to overhaul the squad.
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For me agents should only be paid fees by their client…I.e the player ! They probably charge them anyway as well
I wholeheartedly agree Neil.
Imagine spending 22.8M and what did we get in return
1. Sterling – less spoken the better
2. Merino – other than his CF phase, did nothing worth to mention
3. Calaufori – Injury prone, his agent deserves a salute for hoodwinking our medical team.
4. Raya – we had him last year on loan.
We could have got better value. For those who will comment on Utd./City, I really do not care about them or what they do or where they are. We AFC fans deserve better. BTW Utd managed to win the FA in 2024 & the EFL cup in 2023 despite they being at their lows. City won the world club title , European super cup, EPL in 2024. No point in comparing them to us
How or why did agents become so powerful in football anyway.
To me they like to see their clients move around as much as possible, so they can get their large slice of the pie.
I to agree with Neil, that it should be down to the player and the player only to pay the agent a fee. And if said player said he needs a bigger contract offer to pay his agent, then the said club should say to the player, you hired him as your agent. So paying him is your problem not ours.
As far as I’m concerned the agents hold far to much power. Maybe the clubs should try standing up to them a little more.
No wonder its become a rarity to see any loyalty from players these days, when you have these vultures always in the back ground encouraging constant transfers so the agents can keep on jumping on the gravy train so to speak.
One could argue they are irrelevant in the scheme of things, but to ignore them more often than not you will miss the bus.
Gunsmoke,
I remember a certain Nicholas Anelka, his agents were unlicensed and they were his brothers.
And I can’t remember where I heard it, but it was said that his brothers had found oil in the back garden and they were bleeding it dry, with all the moves that they were getting for their brother.
And to a large extent, that’s how I see most Agents, to me they are the vultures of the game. And it’s sad that the players have to use them if I’m honest. 😉👍
Yes DEREK, I remember Anelka and his greedy brothers.
Legend have it Anelka was more technically gifted than the legendary Henry.
So talented was the much travel player, the legendary Frenchman once said, Anelka is the only player he regreted he hadn’t taken back after he had learned his lesson at the cemetery of talents
Agents pretends they have the players best interest at heart, but deep down they are all about extracting money and enriching themselves.
One player in Italy discovered the plot but ,rather his mother be the beneficiary of the pork barrel
Gunsmoke,
Your point on Agents, sad but true. 😉👍