You don't think Mendes would do business with us unless we bought a player from him that we didn't really want?
Esp with younger players (even if they are hyped up and in the senior team of a big country), agents will have their ear and will be a major influence in where they sign. United really target these young stars and have been increasingly looking to latin markets compard to 15 years ago. Mendes is the top dog in this area and hence we want to make sure he'd advise his clients to come to us should we show interest but also say competitors like yer barca/madrid/milans show interest.
I'm not saying this is right (the bebe shit), but all the facts point to 'funneling' money to mendes as being a very plausible explanation, to increase our 'ties' with him and influence him to funnel talent our way inthe future.
The fact that various accounts have shown bebe's transfer to be paid up front and in full (when is the last time that happened..yes i know ronnie was done the same way when we sold him but that's well ronnie). That's a red flag. The fact he was a 'no body' prior, another red flag. The fact fergie never saw him play and its the first player he's signed like this..another red flag.
Too much dirt here. Even though united are one of the more 'cleaner' clubs i reckon, its still football...and the whole business of football is bent, hence we're bound to have some shady deals such as this.