As reported by Sam Wallace, the figures paid to players’ agents by Premier League clubs between 31st January 2018 and 2019 have been revealed – and Chelsea are second on the list.
Chelsea have previously shown reluctance to dig deep into their pockets in order to appease a players’ agents. The Telegraph reported in January last year that it was that which derailed our pursuit of Romelu Lukaku, and may have also put us off attempting to acquire Alexis Sanchez.
Despite that, Chelsea are high up on the list of agent payments between Jan 2018 and 2019. As shown in the table, only Liverpool have paid more to intermediaries, with the two Manchester clubs narrowly behind our figure of £26,850,552.
Premier League clubs spend £260.6 million on agents fees in 12 months up to 31 Jan 2019, with Liverpool a very long way ahead on £43.8m; Chelsea £26.9m; MCFC £24.1m; MUFC £20.8m; Everton £19.1m pic.twitter.com/9Haqh4e6Ph
— Sam Wallace (@SamWallaceTel) April 4, 2019
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It’s clear to see why Liverpool are performing to the level they have this season, having finally caving and opting to match the investments of their rivals. The fans will no doubt be keen to talk about net spend, but they’re £16.9M clear a the top. They’ve bought their recent success.
Chelsea’s hefty figure is also easily justifiable, having recruited 13 new signings and tying 34 players down to new contracts. We may not be performing to the level you would expect after such expenditure, but we’ve secured the futures of countless young players.
Something certainly needs to be done to prevent player agents banking such ridiculous fees for negotiations that would be smoother if they didn’t exist. The likes of Mino Raiola are money-hungry, feasting on the big clubs. It’s not in the spirit of the game.
