It seems bizarre we would even entertain the idea of a “super agent” in football, but that’s what Jorge Mendes might just be.
New Aston Villa sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch had been rumoured as having close links to Mendes given their time working together at Valencia.
Mendes is famed for his interests at Wolverhampton Wanderers, and had been rumoured to be advising Villa’s new majority shareholders Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens in their first venture into English football.
Quoted by the Express and Star, Pitarch acknowledged the links he had with Mendes, but denied they would see Villa granted any preferential treatment:
I have involvement with Jorge Mendes but also a lot of other agents,
I personally have never had an agent. I have always negotiated my own contracts. In all my deals as a sporting director, at every club, I have been involved in many deals.
With Jorge Mendes I made no more than nine, ten or 11 deals in these 150 deals. I’ve made more with other agents.
I’m proud to have a good relationship with all agents but not especially Jorge Mendes.
Sorry Villa fans, it doesn’t seem as if Portugal’s next sensation will be heading in the door at Villa Park any time soon.
