5 most powerful agents in football right now
The world's most beautiful game isn't all about the players and the clubs. Talent and aspirations won't add up to much if opportunities are not recognized and chances are not taken at the right time. That is where the football agents come in.
Agents recognize talent and help young players establish connections in the professional football sphere and also act as middlemen in transfers and in contract negotiations.
There are several top football agents whose names are more recognizable than that of some football players. For all their effort, the agents take a certain percentage of money as commission and as a result, they become quite rich too. It is a win-win situation for everyone.
On that note, let's take a look at the 5 most influential football agents in the world right now.
#5 Pedro Pereira (Lian Sports)
Pedro Pereira rose to prominence quite quickly and has become one of the most prominent names in the player representation circles. He has some really high-profile clients and has stood as the middleman in some high-profile deals this summer as well.
He is the co-founder of Lian Sports and they pack quite an elite list of clients that include the likes of Leroy Sane, Kalidou Koulibaly, Miralem Pjanic, Luka Jovic, Ante Rebic to name a few.
This transfer window, they have already engineered big money deals for Leroy Sane and Miralem Pjanic. With Manchester City retainiing an interest in Kalidou Koulibaly, they are expected to benefit further before the transfer window shuts.
#4 Kia Joorabchian
The 49-year-old Kia Joorabchian has been one of the most active player agents of late. He has brokered several high-profile transfers over the past few seasons and has some top footballers as clients.
Joorabchian and his Media Sport Investment Limited were behind Carlos Tevez's infamous transfers- first from West Ham to Manchester United and then from Manchester United to Manchester City.
Joorabchian is now the sole director of Sports Invest UK Limited and retains some of the biggest names in Europe. A few of them are Philippe Coutinho, Sergio Reguilon, Willian, Andreas Pereira and Laywin Kurzawa.
Coutinho is Barcelona's most expensive signing. Sergio Reguilon is all set to depart Real Madrid after a successful loan stint at Sevilla. Willian recently moved to Arsenal. Paris Saint-Germain recently extended Kurzawa's contract.
Guess who made a lot of money from all these deals. If you guessed Kia Joorabchian, you are right.