AGENT'S FEES

Last updated : 28 September 2004 By editor

The role of agents in multimillion-pound football transfer deals came under fresh scrutiny yesterday after Manchester United revealed payments of £11m to middle-men for their help in signing players.

United’s latest accounts show it paid £5.5m to agents in the 12 months to 31 July, and owed a further £3.5m from past deals, including the £30m transfer of the defender Rio Ferdinand from Leeds United. The former Premiership champions are also paying up to £1.5m to the agents involved in transferring Wayne Rooney from Everton for up to £29.85m, completed after the end of the last financial year.

Gill said
'We wanted to grab the initiative. We had some questions on agents' fees at the agm and we had 99 questions from Cubic Expression. But we have nothing to hide and want to be open and transparent. We are trying to set a benchmark for football.'

"In relation to the overall amounts invested in players' contracts I think it's reasonable. Agents serve a function in the game and you are not going to get rid of them. I don't think it's realistic, for example, to expect Wayne Rooney, whose talents are clearly in his feet, to conduct contractual negotiations without an agent."