10 Aug 2018 10:02:22
I was reading yesterday that there were 108 signings made by premier league clubs this transfer window and 25 made on deadline day alone. The 108 is the lowest for at least 5 summer windows with there being a decline every year since 2014.

I can't remember who I heard it from from, but on the H and J show on Talksport they were speaking to various people (agents, journalists etc) and they asked one of them why there are so many last minute (or day) deals, not expecting price to necessarily be an issue. He said infact the sticking point for most deals is agents fees where more often than not, everything is agreed but the agents themselves are holding out for the best deal for themselves, only conceding to a lower fee when time is ebbing away.

So, a couple of questions for the eds, if I may. Is the issue with agents fees having as much impact on signings throughout the summer as was suggested and what else would cause these deals to take until the last minute?

Why are agents still unregulated? I know that nobody but agents really wants agents to be part of football, but seeing as all they really do is leech money from the game why is it still possible for them to be able to command such fees?

Cheers.

1.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 10:56:26
Good question 👍.

2.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 11:27:16
You might find a connection between clubs who get their signings in nice and early with how much they spend on agent fees as well.

{Ed002's Note - Just to answer the questions, (a) sometimes agent fees represent their doing other activities, such as negotiating transfer; sometimes they are a fixed percentage of the transfer fee so clubs who have to overpay significantly then get hit again (b) they are not unregulated.}

3.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 12:02:42
I'm not too sure nobody wants agents, I would guess the footballers they represent are happy enough for them to be around.

{Ed025's Note - they will be rover, but they are bleeding the game dry mate..

4.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 13:44:39
Cheers for your answers Eds and posts guys. Yes I remember now that they have to be part of a register, but as far as I am aware, it's not much more than that? I'm probably wrong again on that point too, though what I meant is when Raiola can earn pretty much half of the value of the Pogba transfer fee on top of that amount and all the other associated costs, surely it would encourage football clubs, at least, to come together and sort out the situation so that couldn't happen. A percentage, fine, like 0.5% maybe. There is no one that can tell me that any agent does a big enough, good enough or useful enough job to justify even earning close to a million in a year, let alone the rest that a lot of these guys earn. Cap their earnings, use FA intermediaries instead, whatever, but don't let what amounts to self interested promoters have such a large influence and bearing on the transfer market. Surely that's just logical?

5.) 10 Aug 2018
10 Aug 2018 15:07:21
An FA intermediary is an interesting idea for transfers, wouldn’t kill off agents though, who’s going to negotiate image rights and sponsorship for dandruff shampoo and the like?

{Ed002's Note - To answer the previous question it is a great deal more than being on a register. Using the Mino and Pogba example is poitless - it is the single most extreme situation that has ever occurred. It has nothing to do with the FAs at all - it is not their business and they have zero expertise in such matters.}