Premier League clubs have already spent more than 321 million euros on players’ agents this season, according to figures from the Football Association. Manchester City takes the cake and paid no less than 41.2 million euros to the mediators. Manchester United and Chelsea follow in second and third place. Also in the Championship they seem to be little affected by the corona virus. Second-level clubs spent more than fifty million euros on brokerage fees.
Manchester City, which secured the arrival of Jack Grealish for 118 million euros last summer, is the absolute frontrunner when it comes to brokerage costs. The winger’s transfer made him the ninth most expensive player in the club’s history. The Citizens between 2 February 2021 and 31 January 2022, they lost no less than 41.2 million euros to the representatives. Manchester United (34.1 million) and Chelsea (33.2 million) follow at a respectable distance.
The figures from the Football Association show that the total expenditure of €321.1 million is a minimal increase compared to a year earlier, when €320.9 million was spent. At the time, Chelsea still reigned supreme. The club that paid the least to players’ agents is Brentford FC. The Bees lost 4.1 million euros. Southampton (5.7 million), Burnley (7 million) and Brighton and Hove Albion (7.3 million) also did not spend alarming amounts.
Expenditure in the Championship rose a lot faster in percentage terms. At the second level, a total of 52.3 million euros was spent on player agents. That is an increase compared to a year earlier, when EUR 48.1 million was paid. Fulham paid most of the money to real estate agents. The London club paid a total of 11.9 million euros. That is more than double compared to number two West Bromwich Albion, which had to pay ‘only’ 4.8 million euros.
The Times reported at the end of last year that FIFA plans to curb the sky-high commissions that top agents like Mino Raiola collect. The World Football Association will set a maximum commission of ten percent of the total transfer fee paid by a club per next season. Raiola and Jonathan Barnett, another top football agent, have indicated they are considering legal action, but FIFA doesn’t seem impressed. When mediating player transfers, agents currently have the freedom to determine the requested commission entirely at their own discretion.