For Latin American football agents, convincing European clubs to put their faith in their players has been a big challenge, with decision makers not wanting to gamble on players “not tested at the top level”.

But that is all changing for agencies like Colombia’s Top Athlete Management, who have been given the platform to gain direct access to the key decision makers at 100s of clubs across Europe, and to meet their specific market needs through real-time information.

That’s through becoming a Trusted Agency on TransferRoom, world football’s online marketplace which brings together over 700 clubs and 400 agencies across the globe.

“I'd say a lot of people are cautious about introducing Latin American players to the European market as they've not been tested at what you would consider to be the higher echelon,” Top Athlete Management’s President and Owner, Tomas Sarmiento, says in the video below.

“So what these doors let us do is actually talk to those decision makers and let us get into detail about what those doubts might be and how we can clear them up.”

Sarmiento got to network and talk transfers with many of those clubs in person at the TransferRoom Summit in Lisbon in November 2023. 

And the opportunity to hold a series of one-to-one meetings and network over two days in the Portuguese capital paid off.

Talks with Scottish giants Rangers FC at the Summit led to the loan move of Óscar Cortés from RC Lens in France’s Ligue 1.

Miguel Cardona, the Sporting Director of Top Athlete Management, said: "Through TransferRoom we had he opportunity to create exchanges, meetings and all of this.

"We came to a good deal and Oscar Cortes will continue at Rangers. It is a club that has helped him greatly to develop and adapt in Europe.

"I think he's on a good path and ideally, with all the help that TransferRoom provided, we'll continue our relationship, opening paths to new markets."

Sarmiento believes that TransferRoom can help the agency give other Colombian talents the chance to get their breakthrough in Europe.

“Our main focus is finding the prominent new young talent in Colombia and looking to export them to the most prominent markets here in this side of the world,” Sarmiento says.

“I think joining TransferRoom as a Trusted Agent is very much to position us in the further thinking of the football market as a whole.

“I believe that TransferRoom represents more of the cutting edge of where the market is evolving to, and it really leads you to sitting with the big boys.”

As proven by facilitating the Cortés deal through the TransferRoom Summit in Lisbon, Sarmiento says that the opportunity to get straight to business in direct, one-to-one meetings with club decision makers is a big selling point of the event, held in person a few times a year around the world.

“What this space gives us that's very different from everything else is a space to specifically talk business,” Sarmiento adds. “So you can use valuable networking and contacts, and make deals in the future.”

Highlights of the Lisbon Summit

“Definitely one of the biggest challenges is getting to the right people's doorsteps and being able to get those conversations going that are going to lead to the real deals and the right moves.

“Because it's also very much about not just jumping on every opportunity, but making sure the right opportunity is the one that comes about. And TransferRoom leads you to getting the right opportunity.”

Agents, gain instant access to the key people at over 700 clubs worldwide and get your best deals by becoming a TransferRoom Trusted Agent here.

See the Expected Transfer Value career history, resale value and market value of Cortés and 1000s of other players through our Player Profiles, plus much more.