Bayern Munich head coach Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that some clubs have given agents too much power in modern football, but has equally revealed that he doesn't even speak to them and will always choose to have direct contact with players instead.
"The most important thing in football, the players - not the agent or the coach," Ancelotti told Die Welt in Germany.
"Many clubs have given [agents] a lot of power," the Italian added.
Ancelotti revealed in his recent autobiography that he'd come under pressure from Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to play Gareth Bale centrally after complaints from the Welsh star's agent, Jonathan Barnett.
Jorge Mendes (pictured above) also holds significant influence at the Bernabeu, as well as Monaco and a handful of other clubs, while Mino Raiola has delivered three superstar names - Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Paul Pogba - to Manchester United this summer alone.
Individuals such as Romelu Lukaku, also represented by Raiola, have palmed off talk about the future in recent months simply by reiterating, 'ask my agent, it's down to them'.
But Ancelotti still considers dialogue with players to be the most important thing.
"For me, they are not part of my business," the ex-Milan coach further said of the agent world.
"The people who spend money for stadium tickets or sit in front of the TV want to see the players," he explained.
"I have a direct line to my players, and I hope they come to me directly if there are problems, instead of sending their agents."
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