The figures released this week showed that more than £ 400 million was spent by Premier League clubs on agent costs – a stunning amount and nothing less than a scandal.
Between February last year and in February, the total of £ 409.1 million – money brought by agents was often for setting up deals that had already been agreed.
Over the top five competitions in England, the actual total was even higher – £ 483.6 million – with championship sides that are good for no less than £ 63 million.
And even the women's game is not immune because more than £ 2 million went to agents who work for WSL players.
A worldwide total for how many agents have earned in recent years, the billions of pounds would encounter.
Football supporters will wonder: “Why?”
What benefit agents bring for the game and why does this colossal amount not go to where it should be?
The enormous amounts paid to intermediaries and facilitators means that it does not go to the basis of the game, or improve stadiums, or develop the women's game, or encourage fans from all sections of society to come to competitions, or … the list could continue.
Above all, however, the role of agents is to actively encourage players to move clubs.
They are paid, considerable when players switch, so it is a huge stimulus for instability and every club in the country, from Arsenal to Accrington Stanley, suffers.
Agents are rewarded when their players show unfaithfulness to a club.
That is why it is no surprise that the same players move with alarming frequency.
What annoys me even more is that some agents, although not all, use threats to get what they want.
The conversation goes something like this: “Pay me this or the player won't come”.
I am suspicious of this because I am convinced, more often than not, that players are not aware of how their agent behaves.
In fact, they can hold clubs on ransom, which is completely unfair.
The total effect is that agents are paid, in huge amounts, while clubs, and sometimes even players, literally pay the price.
While agent costs rise, transfers go up and that also creates a bubble in which football lives, but certainly can no longer maintain.
So what is the answer? I don't know anyone who thinks this is good for the game.
The proposed new independent football controller could solve the costs of agents.
I know that it was previously tried by FIFA, who lost that battle in court, but the IFR could hit a levy at all costs, so that they can be used constructively and can be invested again in the game.
In the meantime, the money that is running away remains in the pockets of agents, many of whom are already rich past their wildest dreams, are unchanging way.
Perhaps one of the most worries about aspects of this monetary merry -go -round for agents is the fact that richer clubs can afford the more excessive reimbursements.
And this trend for astronomical agent costs has become worse in recent years, because in season 2021-22 that figure was on 'only' £ 272 million for the top flight.
A year later it was £ 318 million and now, two seasons in a row, it covered £ 400 million.
I know what supporters will do.
It is a racket and money that should be to lower ticket prices, improve the stadiums and develop the game at all levels, is simply washed away.
This agent-driven transfer system is bad for football and it rewards sharp business practices, not sporty.
If we can find possible signs of life on a planet 729 trillion kilometers away, we can certainly solve this, a scheme that only one master serves – agents.
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