The Premier League transfer window is over... but the hard work is only just beginning for agents around the world

  • Football agents regularly come to the fore during the summer transfer window
  • But much of their work is done after the Premier League season gets underway
  • Behind the scenes, the agents of Alexis Sanchez will be working tirelessly
  • There is also a massive scramble to secure the representation of Dele Alli

Football agents aren’t only for the transfer window.

The conception that agents are sipping cocktails in the Bahamas outside the two transfer windows is largely a misinformed myth.

The window’s been closed for just over a month; so what have they been up to?

For agents like Mino Raiola, the hard work begins once the transfer window has closed

For agents like Mino Raiola, the hard work begins once the transfer window has closed

TOP 5 HOMEGROWN ENGLISH TRANSFERS

Kyle Walker to Manchester City 

£53million - Base Soccer

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain to Liverpool

£40m - Colossal Sports Management

Danny Drinkwater to Chelsea 

£40m - Interlex

Michael Keane to Everton 

£30m - New Era Global Sports

Andre Gray to Watford 

£18m Gestifute

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One agent told Sportsmail: ‘The transfer window takes care of itself, in many respects. You’re bound by agreements between clubs.


‘It’s outside of the window where agents put in the hard miles.’

Contract renegotiation takes up much of their time in the period between windows. Do we sign? How much for? How much can he earn elsewhere?

It’s a balancing act. Just look at Alexis Sanchez’s situation at at Arsenal.

The Gunners have tried for over 12 months to get the Chilean to sign a new deal - their latest offer worth a whopping £300,000-per-week.

Yet, the South American’s representatives have advised Sanchez to rebuff Arsenal’s advances.

Quite a statement given the deal on offer. Sanchez’s camp believed his side could earn more elsewhere.

We know how the saga panned out: Sanchez stayed at Arsenal on his current £130,000-per-week contract.

The agents of Alexis Sanchez will be working round the clock to get him the right contract

The agents of Alexis Sanchez will be working round the clock to get him the right contract

He should get his mega pay deal next summer, Manchester City and PSG all ready to throw money at Sanchez.

But what happens if he picks up a serious injury this season? Will those deals still be on the table? Arguably not.

Who would the player blame in that scenario? Such is life for a football agent.

Attempts to improve their client base goes into overdrive outside of the transfer windows.

Agents are always on the look out for the best players for their company. In short: the best players equal the most money.

Sometimes trying to add a player to your stable is glaringly obvious. Case in point being the current fight to represent Dele Alli following his decision to leave Impact Sports Management.

Alli’s destined for greatness, it doesn’t take an educated football eye to realise that.

Dele Alli's decision to leave Impact Sports Management leaves him up for grabs for agents

Dele Alli's decision to leave Impact Sports Management leaves him up for grabs for agents

But where are the next Allis? It’s a search that occupies many agents’ time as they put in thousands of miles up and down the country watching players.

Then come the endorsement deals; ensuring their clients are earning away the pitch.

No longer are boot deals the only means of making money off the pitch for players.

Fashion ranges, computer games - and if you’re Peter Schmeichel, bacon endorsements are all staple incomes for the modern-day player.

Football’s global popularity knows no bounds - it’s an agent job to ensure their player has a piece of the pie.

But first and foremost making sure their players are in the best possible position to perform on match day.

‘I tell my players: “it doesn’t matter where you are in the country and what time, if you need me, I’ll be there”,’ said one leading agent.