The transfer market is a cut throat time of year where the real winners financially are the agents who make large sums for moving on players, now Saints are finding out just how they work.

Belgian newspaper Het Belang van Limburg covered up and coming Anderlecht star Denis Praet earlier this week, a player whose name has been linked with Saints.

Het Belang van Limburg believe that the players new agents the Stellar Group rather than sitting back and letting clubs come to them are actively marketing Praet to clubs and encouraging them to make a bid whilst previously both the player and his club have shown no inclination about a move, in effect they are accusing the agency of masterminding the transfer and that can be only for the financial benefit of the agency itself.

Het Belang van Limburg say that the Stellar Group firstly identify which clubs need a player for what position and then push their roster on to those clubs. Part of that strategy seems to be using the media and hence Saints along with Sevilla have been linked with a player that it is being hinted that they have had no previous interest in, at least not in regard to talking to anybody about him.

Having dont that the agency will hope that even if the clubs linked are not interested it will alert others and give the impression that the player is in demand. It is certainly a subtle approach in that the media stories are not intimating that any club is trying to break down Anderlecht's door, but merely trying to draw out any potential buyers so that the agents can then push the player.

So don't expect anything to happen too quickly as according to the Belgium newspaper the player himself is in no hurry to leave at present and these opening shots are just that, the Stellar group will now be looking to see what interest they have and then hopefully they can present Anderlecht with a deal on the table from a potential buyer.

Perhaps this gives an insight in to the transfer market at present, the windows mean that agents only have short periods to work in and use the media to full effect, we have seen that in regard to the Toby Aldwereireld situation where it was claimed by media sources that Chelsea were desperate to sign him etc, that has proved false, but it has proved that you should not believe everything you read, the Transfer Window is a stage and we are all actors.

Photo: Action Images

SanMarco added 11:26 - Jul 3 I suggest a total ban on agents + a banning of all approaches other than through an authorised route with enormous fines/bans/points deductions for players/managers/clubs who break the rules, use leaks and rumours etc. Of course it wont happen - it would restrict the 'free market'. Although what we see now is about as free market at those licensed ticket tout companies who buy up the tickets for everything and offer them at 3 times the price. Football is like the UK itself - an enormous sponge that is being wrung dry by the wealthy and greedy power elites. Rant over.

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cheltenhamsaint added 12:00 - Jul 5 It so gives an indication of where Saints are currently perceived in European football, both in terms of playing status and financial clout. To be put on the same level as Sevilla, who have just won the Europa league, is no bad thing
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