Have you ever wondered of managing your favourite footballer outside FIFA or PES? While you dream of such a spectacle, there are a handful of them living it out there while making millions. These are the 10 percenters who charge a fee that may sound minimal for their services but turn around the fortunes of the football players while making quite a hay for themselves as well.
Here we list out the super-agents who have made who have re-defined the sports management industry.
Jorge Mendes
Unarguably, the most powerful agent in the business is the 53-year-old Portuguese Jorge Mendes. His clientele includes footballing giants such as Jose Mourinho, David de Gea, James Rodrigues and Diego Costa. He tops it off and boasts his long list with his most prized client, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Jorge Mendes: "Cristiano #Ronaldo will finish his career at Juventus, It will be his last club." [Sport] pic.twitter.com/d4wJcfNopa
— Juvefc.com (@juvefcdotcom) July 11, 2018
Mendes has many accolades for his work which includes the ‘Best European Player’s Agent’ eight times since 2010. Forbes magazine reported that his firm ‘Gestifute’ almost takes £78 million a year in commissions. The Portuguese international surely knows how to traverse in the best of company.
Mino Raiola
The Italian agent is one of the most outspoken agents in the business who represents football heavyweights such as Paul Pogba, Mario Balotelli, Romelu Lukaku and the Swede Zlatan Ibrahimovic. His list speaks volumes of the charismatic personality he inherently possesses.
Mino Raiola was the mastermind in orchestrating Pogba’s return to Manchester United from Juventus in 2016. The Italian’s stern personality works well for him and his extraordinarily skilled negotiating skills tend to work well for his clients.
Jonathan Barnett
The founder of Stellar Group Limited, Jonathan Barnett orchestrated the Welshman Gareth Bale’s move to Real Madrid back in 2013 for a record transfer fee of £86 million. He also has Jesse Lingard, Luke Shaw and Jordan Pickford under his belt.
Jonathan Barnett [Gareth Bale’s agent]:
— Hotspur Lane (@HotspurLane) June 23, 2018
"As an Arsenal fan, I'd love him to play there but it's got as much chance as me going to the moon." #thfc pic.twitter.com/3Nw0EfZlpK
Barnett usually carries his heart on his sleeves when it comes to his clients. He often responds to criticism for Bale with no holds barred, speaking his mind without any regret.
Jose Otin
Jose Otin usually dominates the Spanish football market. Marking his territory, he has built valuable relationships with the Spanish football squad, getting Fernando Torres and Pedro on board. There are over 100 players on the books of his agency named Bahia Internacional and Otin is believed to oversee contracts worth £244 million as per Forbes in 2018.
He is the man to approach if you want a Spaniard playing for your club. Javi Martinez, Dani Ceballos and Jesus Navas have all moved away from Spain to play in England and Germany courtesy of Otin’s supreme ability to come through and finalize a deal.
Feature image courtesy: AFP / Fabio Ferrari
