Exclusive: Kia, Mendes made a combined €23m from just two player sales
In a worrying report on the influential role played by Third Party Ownership in modern football, reporter Pippo Russo confirms that the Nerazzurri signed Joao Mario for €49 million (not €45m) last season, along with the €39 million Gabigol.
Having already published details of Gabigol's contract, CM are now in possession of documents (see gallery below) relative to Joao Mario's sale.
Both were signed on the advice of Kia Joorabchian, who just so happened to represent Joao Mario, and who works closely with Giuliano Bertolucci, Gabigol’s intermediary.
Neither player has been much of a success, with Gabigol barely playing (ten appearances) and Joao Mario showing flashes of promise, but at a premium.
It turns out that of the €83 million spent in total, a whopping €23m went to companies and mediators connected to the two super agents.
Another €12m went directly to Gabigol, or at least to those who represent him, raising the “middle money” to a shocking €35 million, almost doubling the total transfer sum.
Where did the rest of the money go? 20% of Gabigol’s rights went to Doyen sports (€6 million), and 25% of Joao Mario (€9m) went to Quality Football Fund Ireland Limited, which lists Mendes (who was Mario’s agent until January 2016) as one of its advisors.
Even more shockingly, Bertolucci and Amir Ali Kohansal (another Kia man) made €4 million each from the transfers of Gabigol and Mario respectively.
Bertolucci has also worked with Philippe Coutinho, Willian and Oscar, among others.