Mendes was involved in a number of Wolverhampton Wanderers’ summer dealings.
Kevin Thelwell has explained Jorge Mendes’ association with Wolverhampton Wanderers, via BBC West Midlands.
Super-agent Mendes, whose clients include Cristiano Ronaldo and Jose Mourinho, was heavily involved in Wolves’ summer recruitment drive, which saw a number of high profile additions arrive at Molineux following Fosun’s takeover of the Championship club.
As far as some are concerned, Mendes’ presence is having an adverse Wolves, who despite their high-profile business – which includes the club-record signing of Portugal winger Ivan Cavaleiro – are only three points above the relegation places.
But according to Thelwell, Wolves’ sporting director, the link between the club’s owners and Mendes’ agency is not formal, and the 43-year-old insists that new boss Paul Lambert will have the final say on transfers – the same as his predecessor Walter Zenga.
“People feel as if he’s (Mendes) got some carte blanche to do whatever he wants to this football club and that’s just simply not the case,” said Thelwell.
“There’s an informal co-operation between Fosun and Gestifute, which is Jorge’s agency. Of course, they know him and have been working with him for 18 months to two years. Of course, they’re going to consult and take advice from him because he’s a big character in the industry.
“But of course, Jorge and his company aren’t living Wolves and that’s where we can take some advice, we can take some support but ultimately we’ve got to make the decisions to help us be better on the football pitch.”
Lambert was appointed after Saturday’s 3-2 defeat against Derby County and his immediate task will be to hoist the 19th-placed side away from the bottom end of the table.
The Scot previously led Norwich City to back-to-back promotions before managing Aston Villa for two-and-a-half seasons.
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