West Ham warned against agent influence as big-money deals agreed – ‘It’s a massive concern’
West Ham have been warned about the growing influence of super-agent Jorge Mendes ahead of what could be a busy January transfer window.
That is according to former West Ham and Man United senior scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected at his former clubs, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the 60-year-old is now having a big influence at the London Stadium.
Mendes was previously influential at Wolves during their successful rise into the Premier League, but his impact has been questioned given their recent collapse.
This comes amid question marks surrounding the Hammers’ early January business, having forked out £22million to sign Pablo Felipe, represented by Gestifute, from Gil Vicente.
The concern there comes as the striker joined the Portuguese outfit for £220,000 just six months ago, representing a near 10,000 per cent profit on their investment.
West Ham warned against Jorge Mendes influence
Brown previously warned Football Insider that West Ham’s owners are easily influenced by agents, explaining their poor track record in the transfer market.
The former scout, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, insisted that Mendes’ apparent growing interest will only have a negative impact in the long-term.
“I’ve heard Jorge Mendes’ influence at West Ham is growing,” he told Football Insider.
“He’s obviously got the links with the manager, so that’s where a lot of it comes from, but we’ve discussed before the impact these agents can have.
“Look at Wolves as an example, he was in there with all these Portuguese players and everybody was singing his praises and saying what a fantastic role he’s played in it.
“All of a sudden, those players going in haven’t been of the quality they once were, Wolves have slipped further and further down, and his name is never mentioned.
“Even without Nuno there, he still played a big role in a lot of those players going there, and a lot of them are now proving not to be good enough.
“Now he’s cropping up at West Ham, he’s been mentioned at Man United as well, and I would warn both of those clubs against his influence.
“In my experience, this agents business and who represents who never ends well. I think it’s immoral and I’ve only ever seen it have a negative impact long-term.
“I’ve spoken to my contacts at West Ham, and as far as I can tell, these two new strikers they’ve brought in haven’t been scouted very much if at all.
“I know of a few strikers they were looking at, Josh Sargent was one of them, but both of these players have come pretty much out of the blue. Who made those decisions?
“Now, I wouldn’t accuse the club of not doing their homework, I’m sure they know about them and what they can do, but I am doubtful about whether they have been extensively scouted.
“That, for me, is a massive concern and it points once again to the influence of agents and people getting in the owners’ ear, especially when you look at the money involved.”
Hammers prepare for a busy January transfer window
Despite previously claiming to have little funds to spend, the Hammers have enjoyed a strong start to the window, having completed two deals already.
Alongside the big-money signing of Pablo, West Ham have signed Taty Castellanos from Lazio, with a combined £48million spent on strikers this window.
The position had been a clear issue for Nuno Espirito Santo‘s side, but questions are lingering about whether those additions were the right ones to make.
Meanwhile, Brown told Football Insider on 6 January that West Ham want a new centre-back before the end of the window to address a major concern.
There are particular concerns surrounding the form of Max Kilman, who has been slammed by West Ham fans, with some insisting he should never play for the club again.
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