By Andrew Warshaw
September 22 – Players’ agents could have their earnings from transfers capped under a controversial new crackdown being considered by FIFA.
They would have to reveal how much they earn from each transfer, with the clubs involved similarly disclosing how much they pay them.
Marco Villiger, FIFA’s head of legal affairs, revealed the organisation is considering ditching its system of licensing agents and bringing in stricter replacement regulations.
Despite the licensing rules, FIFA believes only between 25 and 30 per cent of international transfers are carried out by licensed agents even though many transfers run into millions of dollars.
Since the 2010 World Cup, some 10,500 international transfers have taken place at a combined value of some $2.7 billion (£1.7 billion/€2.1 billion).
“What you pay for with agents, it’s only access to the players,” said Villiger.
“It is in the pockets of people who do not invest in football.”
Villiger revealed that FIFA’s Legal Committee was already considering tightening the rules whereby agents would still have to register with national associations but have their earnings limited.
“[A] fair [amount] could perhaps be two to three per cent [of the transfer fee] or a cap of $2 million (£1.3 million/€1.5 million),” he told a news conference in Brussels.
The European Commission is due to host a meeting on the subject in October attended by representatives from both FIFA and UEFA.
Villiger believes the new regulations would not conflict with European law and that the plans could be put to a full FIFA Congress next year.
“We could make agents less important,” Villiger said.
“The money paid today could stay in the sport.”
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