Nuno Espirito Santo was Jorge Mendes’ first ever client – so it’s no wonder the recently departed Porto boss is on Wolves’ radar.
Super agent Jorge Mendes with client Cristiano Ronaldo
If Wolves fans were hoping for calmer waters in 2017/18, they may be disappointed. It appears that the club’s Chinese owners are set to rock the boat again by handing super-agent Jorge Mendes full control over recruitment despite the Portuguese not holding an official role at Molinuex.
As a result, undermined manager Paul Lambert may not be working at the club for much longer, The Telegraph report.
And it appears that Fosun International are already sounding out replacements for the divisive Scot. According to the Express and Star, Nuno Espirito Santo is a potential frontrunner to take over at the Midlands club.
Trouble ahead?
Although the former goalkeeper has taken charge of Champions League games with Valencia and FC Porto in the last two seasons, he is hardly the kind of steadying influence the fans will be hoping for.
Nuno Espirito Santo left Porto after leading them to second in the Primera Liga
After all, the fact that Nuno was Jorge Mendes’ first ever client as he attempted to get his now world-renowned agency off the ground perhaps explains why he has been tipped to swap giants of the European game like Porto for the side who finished 15th in the Championship.
“If I’m here it’s thanks to Jorge Mendes and what’s the problem with that?” Nuno said after being appointed at Valencia in 2014 following two excellent seasons with Rio Ave, as reported by FourFourTwo.
Watch out Wolves
It turns out there was a problem with that. Valencia thrilled in Nuno’s debut season, finishing fourth and playing some of the most exciting attacking football in Spain. At the start of his second, however, it became quickly apparent that he was little more than a puppet with Mendes pulling the strings.
A series of overpriced unknowns arrived from Portugal (sound familiar Wolves fans?) while the downturn in results paved the way for white handkerchiefs to reign down in the Mestalla.
In the end, Valencia fans made Nuno the scapegoat thanks to his close ties with the hugely unpopular Mendes – a man who brought his own clients to the club and took star man Nicolas Otamendi away to Manchester City.
Manchester City’s Nicolas Otamendi
That is why an agent should not have such a vested interest in one football club.
And if Nuno and Mendes reunite at Molineux, what’s to say history will not repeat itself?
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