Aston Villa were rumoured to be linking up with super-agent Jorge Mendes, who helped Wolves return to the Premier League last season.
Jorge Mendes is one of the most powerful figures in the second tier of English football right now.
The Portuguese super-agent was the driving force behind Wolves’ return to the Premier League last season. Mendes’ close relationship with the club’s Chinese owners is well established with many of his clients, including Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and even the manager Nuno Espirito Santo, arriving at Molineux since the summer of 2017.
Mendes has since been rumoured to be holding similar sway at Wolves’ Midland rivals Aston Villa.
According to the Express and Star, Villa’s new owners Naseef Sawiris and Wes Edens enlisted Mendes’ help as they aim to bring an end to the club’s Championship struggles.
But, speaking to the same publication, sporting director Jesus Garcia Pitarch has played down suggestions that Mendes could have a major role in Villa’s transfer policy.
“I have involvement with Jorge Mendes but also a lot of other agents,” said Pitarch, who worked with Mendes during his time at Valencia.
“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.”
Nonetheless, Mendes has brought two of his clients to Villa Park of late, winger Anwar El-Ghazi (below) arriving on loan from Lille alongside backup goalkeeper Andre Moreria, who arrived via Atletico Madrid.
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