PSG Saved Millions in Safonov’s Transfer

Matvey Safonov Signed with PSG in Early June, and the Player Clarifies Some Details.

The surprising transfer of Matvey Safonov to PSG continues to reveal interesting insights. The Russian goalkeeper, who recently arrived in Paris, disclosed that his €20 million transfer was completed without the involvement of an agent—a rarity in modern football, where numerous intermediaries typically earn millions in commissions.

“I don’t work with agents. For me, it’s nothing unique. The clubs agreed that there would be no agent involved in the transfer, hence no agent’s commission to pay. I think this was good news for PSG as they were able to save some money,” Safonov explained.

“I have never worked with agents. I didn’t need one at Krasnodar when I was in the academy. Later, as a first-team player, I had a very good relationship with the club, based on trust. They always kept their promises, and I never had any issues negotiating anything with them. I don’t aim to make the most money possible. I know my worth compared to others in the locker room. The club always supported me, and this is also the case with PSG. I hired several lawyers to help me.”

The Russian international (14 caps) also discussed the negotiations with PSG: “I spoke with Luis Campos, their sporting director. We have an office in Switzerland, and our partner has handled several transfers with PSG. He works with Ousmane Dembélé and Randal Kolo Muani, among others. We had many discussions with him about our negotiation with PSG and certain conditions we wanted to change. If we had considered them just another oil club, we would have failed.”

This unique approach has highlighted PSG’s strategic and financially savvy dealings in the transfer market, enabling them to secure a talented player while saving significant amounts typically lost to agent fees.