Clubs kept spending on broker commissions in 2021, with a total of $ 500.8 million, despite transfer spending declining for the second year in a row, according to a report published by FIFA, which reflects a greater intervention of these in the transfers of 12.9% women’s soccer.
The document “Intermediaries in Transfers in 2021” confirms that although the global spending of the clubs in terms of transfers was again lower this year -with decreases of 13.9% in 2021 and 23.4% in 2020-, this decrease It did not imply a reduction in the disbursement of commissions to intermediaries, which even registered a slight increase of 0.7% compared to 2020.
The FIFA, which carries out a comprehensive reform of the transfer system and prepares a New Regulation on Soccer Agents that will enter into force in 2022, today provided these data, which show that European clubs are the ones that made the highest disbursement of total spending on intermediaries with 95.8% of it.
3,545 of the 17,945 transfers in 2021 had intermediaries
The FIFA Transfer Correlation System (TMS) recorded a total of 17,945 transfers of professional players in 2021 and of this total, 3,545 (19.8%) had the intervention of at least one intermediary.
European clubs recorded 95.8% of the $ 500.8 million spent on commissions to intermediaries, with England in first place ($ 133.3 million), followed by Germany (84.3 million dollars) and Italy (73.5 million dollars).
The Spaniards were in fourth position (34.8 million USD), the French in fifth (30.3 million $) and those of Portugal (29.3 million USD) in sixth.
The expense of the intermediation services of the clubs in CONMEBOL was 12.2 million dollars -with Brazil in first place with 11.9-, in the Asian Confederation (AFC) of 7.4 million dollars, in CONCACAF of 0 , 9 million dollars and in the African Confederation (CAF) of 0.4 million dollars.
More intermediaries in transfers of children under 18 years of age
The figure of the intermediary intervened in 16.3% of the transfers of players under 18 years of age in 2021.
This percentage increased slightly in the 18 to 23 age group (16.4%); decreased for players between 24 and 35 years old (13.8% -11.9%) and decreased significantly to 7.1% for players over 35 years old
The total amount for intermediaries representing the contracting club increased by 11.6% compared to 2020 and that directed to intermediaries of the transferor club decreased by 20.3%.
This evolution does not correspond to that of the Clubs spending on transfer fees, which decreased for the second year in a row (-13.9% in 2021 and -23.4% in 2020).
In 2021 there were 2,615 international transfers in which the player was represented by one or more intermediaries, which represents 14.6% of all transactions of this type and in more than half of the transfers in which an intermediary acted, the only party represented was the player (53.8%)
In more than 90% of cases, the club’s intermediaries received less than a million dollars per transaction and the most common payment amount is $ 10,000 to $ 100,000.
The 117 cases in which service fees exceeded $ 1 million represent around two-thirds (64.2%) of the total amount paid by clubs to intermediaries.
FIFA recorded isolated cases in which service fees even exceed $ 10 million.
Another report prepared this year by FIFA showed that in the last decade $ 3.5 billion have been paid in concept of intermediary services in international transfers.
Intermediaries increase their participation in female transfers by 12.9%
In 2021 they were completed 1,287 international transfers of professional players and in 300 of them (a 23.3%) at least one intermediary acted.
The number of transfers in the Women’s Football in which the destination club hired the services of an intermediary recorded a 12.9% increase in 2021 (with a total of 70 cases) compared to the 2020 figure (62). In 2019 the number was 54 and in 2018 24.
England (with 16) and Germany (with 14) were the most active FIFA member associations in this regard.
The clubs paid a total of $ 451,000 in brokerage service fees. These were paid in 66 of the 70 transfers with intermediaries of the club and never exceeded $ 40,000.
The FIFA agent regulations seek more transparency and correct imbalances
The FIFA defended that the regulation of agents tries to offer “more transparency” and to correct “certain imbalances” and he maintained that he does not intend to go against the representatives, but to offer a more professional, fair and transparent scenario.
Following the publication this Wednesday of the report “Intermediaries in Transfers in 2021, FIFA Legal Director Emilio García Silvero noted that this reform, which is expected to be approved next month by the body’s Council, complies with all the principles of legality and that it will serve to improve the current football system.
“Our goal is to include all actors in this project, we are open to dialogue with all agents and groups of agents, but sometimes it is difficult, since there are some who do not agree with our work and do not want to listen to us, we respect their decision, “he said.
The Spanish expert recognized in a conversation with the media the importance of representative agents in sport, highlighted FIFA’s respect for this profession and pointed out that one of the main problems that FIFA warns about in the current system of agents is the ” information concealment “.
Today’s report states that footballers’ representatives, who have experience in the transfer market and access to more information, know more about the “value” of players than the players themselves and, in particular, on how much the clubs are willing to pay for transfers.
In this circumstance, the representatives can take advantage of the ignorance of the players to receive a higher service commission in the contractual negotiations with the clubs, according to FIFA.
The document shows that the football agents of the younger and less experienced players tend to obtain, on average, a higher commission from the salary of the footballers compared to the more veteran players.
As a result of this study, the new reforms will be aimed at preventing this type of imbalance from occurring in the market.
“Agents have to be compensated by clubs and by players, but always under fair conditions “, he concluded Garcia Silvero.