England players unhappy over paying PFA commission on commercial deals as agreement struck by Harry Kane and rest of leadership team backfires

Prior to the Euros in Germany, the players' union assumed control of the sponsorship and endorsement agreements for the Three Lions players. PFA executives also consented to support them in their discussions with the FA on fees for in-person appearances to endorse sponsors like Nike and Budweiser during the tournament. The senior leadership group of England, led by captain Harry Kane, is said to have negotiated the new contract on behalf of the team late in the previous campaign.

According to a report by The Sun, several players were taken aback when they discovered in the last few weeks that they had committed to paying a ten per cent commission to the PFA. Numerous players believed that the PFA was required to represent them, or at the very least, would provide a commission discount. According to the article, this problem was brought up when the Three Lions stars met for Nations League duty earlier this month.

Years of scandal surrounding the business practices of three Lions players have centred mostly around Terry Byrne, the former agent of Gareth Southgate. He signed a 14-year contract with the FA to represent the team, but after a protracted dispute, he was paid off last season by the FA and relieved of duty.

Sources close to the players' union have reported that 10 per cent is standard practice across the industry, with the money required to cover their costs, and as such, it is unlikely that any renegotiating of contracts will take place in the near future.