Do agents really earn so much?

Some of their fees are extortionate, for example £2M on top of a £16M transfer. If this amount of money is going out of the game their is too much money in it.

Well I wondered about this also,I do not know about the larger fee's as I am not in the top league yet but I did just sign a young player for 700k,to start with the agent was asking 325k for his fee,I finally got him down to 200k but in my opinion for a young unproven player an agent asking that sum is just stupid and I can not see that happening.

With the fee you you have mentioned Coop that is around 12% of the transfer and at the top level could be right(I would assume around 10%),though an agent asking 50% of the transfer value for a young player in a lower league seems a bit crazy.

I re-signed to a new contract and had to give the agent $5 million. Just for negotiating a new deal that is absurd.

Going by FM, I think it would be financially better to be a football agent, as opposed to a footballer!!!

It's not that far-fetched for agent demands to be that much...it's just whether you want to pay them.

Like everyone knows that Man City has bucket loads of money, and agents would obviously see that and want to have a few million to themselves to sign their client.

To be honest, I hate the addition of the agents... it's another weak AI, but in regards to the agent fee it's just plain frustrating.

Playing a team that, even when it's well -under- the wage budget, loses money hand over fist thanks to 'Other expenses' oppressive numbers. FM11 also lowered merchandise and attendance numbers, at least for this particular team/league. Then you tack on the agent fees, just murderous to finances.

Started FM11 my MLS team with 5M in the bank, the team was 500K/year (or more) -UNDER- the clubs wage budget the entire season, only spent about 600K on transfers, got 600K in prize money for winning the US Cup and being runners-up for MLS Cup. The team finished the season in the red. Agent fees to the tune of about 300-400K really didn't help any either. FM10 had this same problem with the financial model and then SI increase the expenses with agent fees and decrease the income (at least in this instance) significantly. There is no way the team could have possibly -not- lost money and been competitive in any manner.

Maybe they do...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8387561.stm

IMO, this is just realism for its own sake. Does it enhance the game in the slightest?

IMO, this is just realism for its own sake. Does it enhance the game in the slightest?

Not at all... especially if you want realism when 'Other expenses' supposedly includes travel and you can pay the same 'Other' between months where you have 4 road games and a month where you have no road games.

Can't say I'm a fan of the feature, yet, but I suppose it is part of what a football manager is involved in. For me, it is because I don't have much understanding of what an agent should be entitled to so it is about a bit of learning. I've pulled out of alot of transfers just because I thought the agent fee was way to high but after seeing that BBC article maybe some of the demands are what would really be paid.

10% of the transfer fee seems to be the "maximum" in real-life - that BBC link also highlights one of the bigger spenders in real-life, too - agent fees will no doubt be inflated in those transfers.

fraid so mate. they are parasites. i do enjoy winding them up on the game tho by offering the player way more than what he wants, and offering the agent zilch! obviously the agent knocks the deal back but if your player is ''interested'' sometimes it gets his agent the sack lol

fraid so mate. they are parasites. i do enjoy winding them up on the game tho by offering the player way more than what he wants, and offering the agent zilch! obviously the agent knocks the deal back but if your player is ''interested'' sometimes it gets his agent the sack lol

Eheh now that's a good idea.

Maybe they do...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8387561.stm

IMO, this is just realism for its own sake. Does it enhance the game in the slightest?

I want to be an agent. I never realised how much these parasites leeched from the game.

Maybe they do...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8387561.stm

IMO, this is just realism for its own sake. Does it enhance the game in the slightest?

BUT... are those figures for agent fees for transfers, or contract renewals as well?

The wording suggest it's for both... therefore an agent fee per transfer might actually be quite low

Afterall, if an agent or firm were getting the type of money that FM says, they would be living in mansions and yachts as the top agents would earn more than the highest earning players in the game (their signing fee can be higher than a players yearly wage... and they have many players on their books)

To be honest, I hate the addition of the agents... it's another weak AI, but in regards to the agent fee it's just plain frustrating.

Playing a team that, even when it's well -under- the wage budget, loses money hand over fist thanks to 'Other expenses' oppressive numbers. FM11 also lowered merchandise and attendance numbers, at least for this particular team/league. Then you tack on the agent fees, just murderous to finances.

Started FM11 my MLS team with 5M in the bank, the team was 500K/year (or more) -UNDER- the clubs wage budget the entire season, only spent about 600K on transfers, got 600K in prize money for winning the US Cup and being runners-up for MLS Cup. The team finished the season in the red. Agent fees to the tune of about 300-400K really didn't help any either. FM10 had this same problem with the financial model and then SI increase the expenses with agent fees and decrease the income (at least in this instance) significantly. There is no way the team could have possibly -not- lost money and been competitive in any manner.

Do MLS clubs even pay their agents? I know agents in other sports aren't paid by their clubs, like Scott Boras, I don't think clubs pay him, only his clients pay him 3% or 5% of their earnings (which is quite alot when you have the likes of A-Fraud making half a billion dollars when his next contract is up..and he has other clients as well). I don't think MLS clubs pay agents for players.

Can anyone pls explain the agent stats?

Willingness (Higher = more willing to negotiate?)

Fee (Higher = demand a higher fee?)

Patience (Higher = more patient?)

as typing those they seem fairly obvious actually but would appreciate if someone could confirm!

Yes pretty much. Willingness to tout (I think it is) the higer it is the more likely an agent will offer the player to you and say hey make a bid - try and court a move for his player. A low attribute would mean an agent is happy for his player to be at a club for a long amount of time. Yep higher fee means he wants a high signing on fee. And the higher the patience the longer the agent will listen and you can have more of a conversation/negotiation process if needs be. Thats my take on it.

The whole problem with agents in the football world would be quickly solved by making the players pay the agents, and the clubs pay nothing. The agents wouldnt dare ask their player for that much money.

They would, they'd just say it's negotiated in the deal, and the players would all demand 10% more in order to pay them.

The funny thing is if football agents were not about it would be better for both player and club in contract negotiations. They have a job that is very well paid, but for me in most cases there is no need for them.

But they do have a job, and that's to prevent a player from being mugged, to also go and find them new clubs when needed and also I'm sure they do other things as well

Just a shame they use the job to then con more money than they really need

But they do have a job, and that's to prevent a player from being mugged, to also go and find them new clubs when needed and also I'm sure they do other things as well

Just a shame they use the job to then con more money than they really need

Yeah sure, but take Rooney for example. Rooney would not me mugged by Man Utd, SAF although not part of the negotiations would not let it happen. And would not need anyone to find him a new club as he is known world wide etc. The same goes for other world class players. They do serve a purpose (leeches!), but if I was a big name player I would certainly not have one.

Stick to the 10% of the transfer fee negotiated for agent's fee, anything more and you are getting ripped off

acording to the transfermarkt.de for the season 08/09 transfer expenditures were 743.952.000 £. so 70 mil £ is les than 10%. and what is reality if an agent just for one player asks me 3-4 mil. and the sum of 70 mil is also for contract renewals included. man city spent 13 mil for 10 world class players, that is about 1 mil per player + contract renewals about 2-3 mil at least. i think that SI is exaggerating.

Stick to the 10% of the transfer fee negotiated for agent's fee, anything more and you are getting ripped off

I always thought agents and players eanred a percentage of the transfer fee rather than a fee on top of the transfer fee.

I always thought agents and players eanred a percentage of the transfer fee rather than a fee on top of the transfer fee.

You can consider that in FM you are negotiating the transfer "to the team", then "to the agent and player", and the figure given to the press is only the first one, while iRL it would be the combination of the three.

IRL: Saviola was reported to go to Benfica for a fee of a few million, while Real Madrid didn't see a penny of said fee.

the sad simple answer is...yes

I made a bid for Akinfeev accepted at 15m but when I went to contract negotiations his agent demanded 5m, it made the transfer unreasonable when players like Ochoa and De Gea only charged about 1m in agent fees. 33% is ridiculous. For players like Rooney the agent is as much about his advertising deals as it for the deals with clubs. I'm sure SAF would be very busy if he had to make sure his players got good deals for those as well. I like managing in the lower divisions where most players don't have agents, quite a few players i've signed have gone on to sack theirs since joining me as well.

You can negotiate every deal to about 15k for the agent. Just play around with the numbers, including the release clause, sign on fees, etc.

Do MLS clubs even pay their agents? I know agents in other sports aren't paid by their clubs, like Scott Boras, I don't think clubs pay him, only his clients pay him 3% or 5% of their earnings (which is quite alot when you have the likes of A-Fraud making half a billion dollars when his next contract is up..and he has other clients as well). I don't think MLS clubs pay agents for players.

True enough point, but I don't care about paying the agent fees... in fact I rather pay them instead to have yet another area what the MLS being special means that it's broken all the more then it already is.

Inclusion of agents in contract negotiations: good.

Inclusion of agents demanding their own fees: bad.

Maybe it's because I'm American...but is this really how contracts are negotiated around the world? In our sports, the role of the agent is to get the "best possible deal" for his client; the agent works on commission (much like a real estate agent) and is thus entitled to a pre-determined percentage of the player's contract. At no time does the agent actively negotiate his cut with the team. Agents like Scott Boras have built up a reputation for demanding top-dollar contracts for their players and not for demanding large sums of money for themselves.

Simple fix: remove the agent's cut from the negotiation screen. Agents can still serve a purpose, be it from something as simple as their willingness to strike a deal (say, longer contract for less money) or their refusal to budge from their demands. Depth could then be added by having personal relationships between agents/coaches; a good relationship could see an agent offer a discounted rate for his player or see the agent steer his players towards your club, while a bad relationship could result in an agent demanding higher wages than other teams. Relationships could be built upon how you treat players- if you sign a player as a first-teamer but then stick him on the reserves, the player's agent likely isn't going to be pleased and could seek a sale of the player or refuse to negotiate any other deals until his player is taken care of.

Inclusion of agents in contract negotiations: good.

Inclusion of agents demanding their own fees: bad.

Maybe it's because I'm American...but is this really how contracts are negotiated around the world? In our sports, the role of the agent is to get the "best possible deal" for his client; the agent works on commission (much like a real estate agent) and is thus entitled to a pre-determined percentage of the player's contract. At no time does the agent actively negotiate his cut with the team. Agents like Scott Boras have built up a reputation for demanding top-dollar contracts for their players and not for demanding large sums of money for themselves.

Simple fix: remove the agent's cut from the negotiation screen. Agents can still serve a purpose, be it from something as simple as their willingness to strike a deal (say, longer contract for less money) or their refusal to budge from their demands. Depth could then be added by having personal relationships between agents/coaches; a good relationship could see an agent offer a discounted rate for his player or see the agent steer his players towards your club, while a bad relationship could result in an agent demanding higher wages than other teams. Relationships could be built upon how you treat players- if you sign a player as a first-teamer but then stick him on the reserves, the player's agent likely isn't going to be pleased and could seek a sale of the player or refuse to negotiate any other deals until his player is taken care of.

The thing is that paying agents is realistic in Europe. An article said that Man City to pay agents fees along with signing-on fees.

Maybe have the one model for MLS where agents don't have fees and another one for Europe? Although I can smell a bug or two with all those other MLS bugs already with that implementation.

Agents in North America only receive a commission of their client's wages. The team pays them directly nothing. They usually receive 10 to 15%.

We have to remember that our American sports leagues operate under a more socialist model, while European leagues are more free market. This agent situation is just a reflection of that model.

I've found that if you leave everything else as the agent asks and just reduce the agent fee he will usually accept 10k even if the original demand was about 5m

We have to remember that our American sports leagues operate under a more socialist model, while European leagues are more free market. This agent situation is just a reflection of that model.

Interesting opinion, could you please elaborate it further ?

Thx

You can negotiate every deal to about 15k for the agent. Just play around with the numbers, including the release clause, sign on fees, etc.

Not every agent will have the patience to do that though. And I highly doubt you can bring all agents down to 15k.

What about players who want anew contract 6 monthas after signing? Their agents want huge fees just for negotiating huge wage rises. No way can that be right.

To add to Coop, I feel long-term contracts are worthless in FM (and I have felt like that for many years)

RL, players that sign for 5 years, will very often stick to that contact until near the end

FM, players will sign for whatever years, but 90% of the time, will want a new one after a year or two (even more likely with any form of success, which is not as realistic as you might think)

This is ridiculous. The agent's fee is negotiated between player and agent. WE DON'T PAY AGENTS!!! Clubs sometimes have intermediares (or whatever is pronunced in english). Am i'm gonna have to upload FIFA AGENT rules here. C'mon SI.

The agents are well paid, but there feed in included on the deal, based on percentage.

"The new rules, to which the Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, and its secretary general, Jérôme Valcke, will be signatories, are described in a working paper scheduled for implementation next October. They state that the most an agent may earn from conducting transfer negotiations on behalf of any club is 3% of the total fee, capped at $2m (£1.25m). The 3% limit is also reflected in the directive relating to what agents may charge players in commissions for their services, and that is a major reduction on current costs."

On behalf!! When a club hires an agent to go to Argentina for example as emissaire and reach an agreement with a club for a player. Then the club pays the agent what he was hired to do. You don't pay a signing fee for the player and for agent.

Whatever money the agent receives it's the player who pays. The agent was hired by the player. They have a contract beetween them. What can happen is the player asking for a bigger signing on fee, but that's his problem.

Players would have to be extremely loyal, military loyal, for this to work. Somebody gives 5m but your a$$ of agent keeps asking 5m for himself too. Can you imagine. BS!!

"The 3% limit is also reflected in the directive relating to what agents may charge players in commissions for their services, and that is a major reduction on current costs."

You see, player and agent!!!!!!!!!!!!

I made a bid for Akinfeev accepted at 15m but when I went to contract negotiations his agent demanded 5m, it made the transfer unreasonable when players like Ochoa and De Gea only charged about 1m in agent fees. 33% is ridiculous. For players like Rooney the agent is as much about his advertising deals as it for the deals with clubs. I'm sure SAF would be very busy if he had to make sure his players got good deals for those as well. I like managing in the lower divisions where most players don't have agents, quite a few players i've signed have gone on to sack theirs since joining me as well.

Completely wrong SI. That 5m fee, is Akinfeev who has to pay. He was the one who hired HIS agent. That fee comes from the player pocket.

Agents are positive and negative in my view. Have to pay high fees but if agent fees didn't exist, alot of my players wouldn't be resigning to a nice new multi year lowish salary contract.

http://www.thefa.com/TheFA/RulesandRegulations/Agents

The Club shall not be obliged to use the services of the Authorised Agent during the

term of this Representation Contract and the Club may represent itself in any

Transaction or Contract Negotiation (each as defined in The Football Association

Football Agents Regulations (the ‘Agents Regulations’) should it so desire.

Now if the player hires the agent he PAYS him NOT WE, THE CLUB.

The Player agrees to pay the Agent a fee as follows, excluding VAT:

[insert details of the fee payable during (and after) the contract (e.g. an hourly rate, a

percentage of earnings by periodic instalments etc); the terms upon which it is payable,

(e.g. 30 days after receipt of invoice); and the regularity of payment (e.g. at the

commencement of the playing contract, monthly/quarterly/annual instalments]

Maybe they do...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8387561.stm

IMO, this is just realism for its own sake. Does it enhance the game in the slightest?

I may be wrong, but this teams hired agents as there intermediares, they hired there services (recruit the players, talk to clubs about possible deals, etc...) These fees weren't paid to the player's agents.

An Authorised Agent must not make, or seek to make, any payments of any kind,

either directly or indirectly, to any Club, Club Official, Manager or Player as a

result of a Transaction or Contract Negotiation.

Where an Authorised Agent undertakes Agency Activity for a Player, the Player

may discharge his obligations to pay the Authorised Agent as specified in the

Representation Contract between them in one, or more, of the following ways

only:

a. The Player may pay the Authorised Agent directly ; and/or

b. The Player may request in writing, and the Player’s Club may agree, that

the Club makes a genuine deduction in periodic instalments from HIS net

salary in favour of the Authorised Agent, so that the sums are deducted

and paid in discharge of the Player’s obligation to the Authorised Agent

contained in the relevant Representation Contract; and/or

Where the Authorised Agent and the Player agree in the Representation Contract

that a commission (either by way of lump sum or by instalments) is to be paid in

respect of a Transaction or Contract Negotiation, it shall be calculated on the basis

of the Player's annual basic gross income (excluding any other benefits and/or any

kind of bonus or privilege that is not guaranteed) as set out in the employment

contract concluded by the Player in respect of which he was represented by the

Authorised Agent.

Sorry for the caps, but Si, once again: BETWEEN PLAYER AND AGENT

Now if i was playing with FC Bayern, and i had the option to hire an agent and tell him: "I want this player but i don't want to deal with club X, so i'am hiring you to that for me" The agent becomes my employee so I have to pay him. He's my representation" On fm11 this does not happen right? The agent was hired by the player, he represents the player.

Remuneration of an Authorised Agent / Exempt Solicitor Acting for a Club

9 Any and all remuneration or payments of whatever nature, and howsoever arising,

and whether direct or indirect, made to any person in relation to any Agency Activity

for or on behalf of a Club, must be made by the Club only, and must be fully

recorded in the accounting records of the Club, save that an Authorised Agent

acting for a Club may pay a person with whom he has assigned or sub-contracted

any Agency Activity duties or services or responsibilities in accordance with

Regulation H4.

10 Any payment by a Club to an Authorised Agent or Exempt Solicitor, whether

direct or indirect, other than a payment made by a Club under Regulation G5.(b),

must be made through The Association, using the relevant designated account as

prescribed by The Association from time to time, save where a Registered Lawyer

or Exempt Solicitor solely and exclusively provides Permitted Legal Advice to a

Club. Payments will only be released by The Association upon receipt of the

relevant information (including, but not limited to, the relevant contract and bank

details) in relation to the payment.

11 Where the Authorised Agent and the Club agree that such a commission is to be

paid, they shall also agree in the Representation Contract what the commission

shall be and whether the Club shall remunerate the Authorised Agent with a lump

sum payment at the start of the employment contract of the Player who was the

subject of the Transaction or Contract Negotiation or whether the Club will pay by

periodic instalments (and, if so, the regularity of such instalments) and/or whether

such commission (or any instalment or part thereof) shall be conditional in any way

including, by way of example but without limitation, whether the Player must remain

in the employment of the Club under the said employment contract on the due date

for payment.

Do MLS clubs even pay their agents? I know agents in other sports aren't paid by their clubs, like Scott Boras, I don't think clubs pay him, only his clients pay him 3% or 5% of their earnings (which is quite alot when you have the likes of A-Fraud making half a billion dollars when his next contract is up..and he has other clients as well). I don't think MLS clubs pay agents for players.

the same applies here. IMO SI got it wrong. That's why many teams don't deal with Boras, because they know they will overpay for his players, because that vampire knows he receives a part of that. And that part comes from the player NOT the club.