Wolverhampton Wanderers Chair Jeff ShiGETTY IMAGES
League Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers Chair Jeff Shi said that complaints from Aston Villa and Leeds United are "laughable," according to Alex Dicken of the BRISTOL POST. The "rivals have voiced their concerns" to the English Football League over Wolves' relationship with "super agent" Jorge Mendes. Aston Villa and Leeds United "want to know how Wolves are affording to pay the likes of Diogo Jota, Ruben Neves and Ivan Cavaleiro’s wages" while staying within the constraints of Financial Fair Play. Shi insisted that Wolves "are doing nothing wrong" and claimed the club's rivals are trying to destabilize the league leader. He said, "I’m the chairman of a club so I can understand the pressure. We’re the guys facing pressure from fans and the league and I can understand releasing pressure on Twitter. On the other hand I think frankly it’s laughable, because they know nothing about us. I know everything about us and our club and what we’re doing" (BRISTOL POST, 3/12). The BBC's Roan, Pope & Skelton reported Leeds United Owner Andrea Radrizzani wrote to the FA, Premier League and EFL to "ask for clarification" on the link between Wolverhampton and Mendes. A subsidiary of Wolverhampton owner Fosun has a share in Mendes' agency and "several of his clients are at Molineux." Radrizzani said, "I want to understand the rules so I can act like them. If it's possible, I would do the same as it's been proven to be successful for the team. If not, I will do as I did in the past, which I'm happy with too" (BBC, 3/12).
