Bebe's agent under scrutiny

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

Exlax going to jail

 

 

The Manc b******s have confirmed that the agent Jorge Mendes acted for Bebé when Sir Alex Ferguson signed the 20-year-old striker from the Portuguese first division club Vitória de Guimarães in the summer's most extraordinary transfer deal.

 

Bebé's previous agent, Gonçalo Reis, who had represented Bebé when he moved to Vitória just weeks earlier from the third division club Estrela da Amadora, has previously complained he was cut out of the deal before Bebé signed for United. Bebé, included in United's senior squad for the first time tonight, away at Sc***horpe United in the Carling Cup, had not played a single competitive match for Vitória, and Ferguson had not seen him play, when United's manager signed him for £7.4m.

 

It was known at the time that Mendes, the agent of Ferguson's former assistant and Portugal's then coach, Carlos Queiroz, and a string of Portuguese stars including Cristiano Ronaldo, had acted in the deal, but not that he was Bebé's own agent. A spokesman for United has now clarified that Mendes did act for Bebé in the transfer. "Jorge Mendes is Bebé's agent," the spokesman said. He added that United did not employ an agent themselves on the deal. "We dealt with Bebé's representative and the club."

 

Mendes's involvement as Bebé's agent raises the possibility that Reis could formally complain to Fifa that Bebé was "poached" from him, which, if proven, would be a breach of the worldwide regulations governing the conduct of agents. Reis would not comment on that, or on the revelation that Mendes acted for Bebé personally in the move.

 

Fifa's regulations require players and agents to have written contracts with each other, for a maximum of two years. Article 22 of the Fifa regulations prohibits an agent from contacting a player while he has "an exclusive representation contract" with another agent. That is considered to be poaching. A player can, as Bebé apparently did, terminate a contract early, but must have a valid legal reason for doing so or the agent can claim for lost business. Reis said at the time that he had a written contract to represent Bebé as his agent, which had some time left to run. Bebé did write to Reis to terminate that contract, but Reis said he received Bebé's letter on 13 August, two days after Bebé had already signed for United.

 

Mendes had put the news of Bebé's move, together with a picture of the two of them together, on the website of his agency, Gestifute, and Emilio Macedo, president of Vitória, was quoted formally thanking Mendes for his help, saying Mendes: "Brings money into the country like an export."

 

Ferguson later revealed that he had never seen Bebé play, in person or on video, before asking the club's chief executive, David Gill, to spend £7.4m signing him, the first time in Ferguson's 36 years as a manager that he has not watched a player he has signed. Bebé had played only pre-season matches for Vitória after moving from Estrela this summer, and Ferguson said Queiroz, at the time still Portugal's coach, had recommended that United sign the forward, a judgment supported by United's scouts in the country.

 

The fee United paid, £7.4m, was reported to be the buyout clause, €9m, which Vitória had inserted into a new, improved contract with Bebé signed shortly after he joined. Reis had brought Bebé to Vitória originally, and negotiated his first deal, said to be on a smaller wage with a more modest buyout clause. It is not known if Reis was involved in negotiating the enhanced, second deal at Vitória but Bebé moved to United very quickly after that improved contract was signed, and Reis then complained he was cut out of the deal.

 

Mendes has not said when he first discussed with Bebé the possibility of representing him and his Gestifute agency did not reply to a series of questions about the Bebé deal, although they have previously denied any wrongdoing.

[Billy Dane]

This transfer sounds as dodgy as f***, no doubt his previous agent will be paid off and nothing more will be said about it.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

stinks to high heaven.

 

I'd love to do a forensic search on the 7.4m to see where it all landed

[Snookie]

It sounds as dodgy as it gets, and if it is, you have to wonder just how stupid anyone could be to expect people to fall for it.

[surf]

lets see if that bebe is any good first. or can we write him off already?

[richwilks]

lets see if that bebe is any good first. or can we write him off already?

 

From what I hear the Mancs have written him off already.

[Jonesy]

From what I hear the Mancs have written him off already.

 

 

ah it's David Bellion all over again...in fact take your pick of any number of players over the years

[Tones]

Hes playing for them tonight apparently.

[MarkD]

I hope he is really crap and the crow cat-call him and show their displeasure toward him. In fact, I want 'boos for Bebe'

 

 

It embarrasing that Mr Ferguson is so obvious with this piece of financial shenanigans that those in charge have just ignored it to-date. The Dark Lord really is untouchable.

[surf]

what did ferguson do wrong? if anything bebe is the one who's potentially in trouble for dropping his agent for another one

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

He never saw him play, even on video. He's 20 & he's never played top-flight football, yet is worth 7.4m?

[stressederic]

And he was bought on the recommendation of Queiroz. And then it turns out used Queiroz's agent.

[Sir Tokyo Sexwale]

He MUST have looked him up on youtube though

[Sion]

How the feck is this not being investigated?

 

Hopefully he'll play tonight, be dead crap, and people will start whispering louder.

[Walrus]

He's on!

[Barnesy_10]

Ferguson went to watch the Valencia game..... can't bear to watch bebe himself

[Bigal]

for a start in the homeless world cup, he is a big unit.

 

Homeless my a***

[Stevie H]

under scrutiny? he should be on dragon's den with that kind of entrepreneurial nouse.

[aka Dus]

I doubt it's the same agent but this transfer also smells. I've seen this lad play a couple of times, no way he's worth 5 million.

 

 

Manchester United complete signing of goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard

• Danish keeper will join club in January

• Lindegaard signed for undisclosed fee

 

Press Association

guardian.co.uk, Saturday 27 November 2010 11.17 GMT

Article history

 

Aalesund goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard has signed a three-year deal at Manchester United. Photograph: Press Association Images

Manchester United have completed the signing of Anders Lindegaard from Aalesunds FK on a three-and-a-half year deal for an undisclosed fee. The 26-year-old will train with United next month but will not formally join the club until the transfer window opens in January.

 

Capped four times by Denmark, Lindegaard's arrival will inevitably draw comparisons with Peter Schmeichel, who was two years older when he arrived at Old Trafford. However, the goalkeeper will initially be seen as a deputy for the veteran first-choice Edwin van der Sar, who could retire at the end of the season.

 

"Anders is one of the brightest young keepers in the game." said Ferguson. "The challenge at Manchester United is always to look to the future and in Anders, we have signed a goalkeeper of great presence and even more promise.

 

"Having the time to train with him before he is registered will be an important period for him – almost like a pre-season to get him integrated with the other players."

 

Speculation about the future of Tomasz Kuszczak is now expected, with the Pole known to be growing increasingly frustrated at his lack of opportunities. Now Lindegaard finds himself in a similar battle to force his way into Ferguson's plans, having completed his medical and agreed personal terms yesterday. For now though, he is just basking in the glee of joining a club such as United.

 

"Joining Manchester United is a dream come true for me," he said. "The club is such an institution in Denmark, it's an honour to come here. I'm looking forward to playing and training alongside some of the great players in football today. I can't wait to be part of this team and to make my contribution to keeping the team at the top of the game."

 

 

[Superjay]

His first game for them he looked like a fella who'd won a competition.

 

Manc mates of mine reckon he's already been looked at being moved on.

[goodrobotusses]

Tor-Kristian Karlsen been saying on Twitter today that Lindegaard's market value is about £1-1.5million, not the £4.5million United have paid.

[drdooom]

Tor-Kristian Karlsen been saying on Twitter today that Lindegaard's market value is about £1-1.5million, not the £4.5million United have paid.

 

What did he say about Poulsens market value compared to what we paid?

[goodrobotusses]

What did he say about Poulsens market value compared to what we paid?

 

Ha. Didn't ask. That said, we were buying Poulsen from Juventus rather than Aalesunds FK - Karlsen was talking more about the pricing/value of players coming from the Scandinavian leagues.

[kenny7]

No problem with this at all, in fact I hope he's got a few more lined up. It's as if a Liverpool fan has added Man utd as a second team on Championship Manager, then proceeded to fill the squad with average / s*** players at high transfer fees.

[Hassony]

If Bebe is a fraud, what does that make Beckford?

Edited November 27, 2010 by Hassony