McClaren in the clear, say FA

Agent Barry Silkman, one of those named in Stevens' report into Premier League transfers, queried whether Stevens was also suggesting he had doubts about McClaren as two of the transfers related to when he was Middlesbrough boss.

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Sportsmail understands the FA are completely satisfied that McClaren's conduct has not been implicated at all.

Silkman played a role in the transfers of Yakubu and Fabio Rochemback to Boro while McClaren was in charge.

Reacting to the publication of Stevens' report, Silkman raged: "If they come out and say I have done anything illegal and suggest I've paid a manager, the manager concerned has to be Steve McClaren, the England manager. So, if they are not suggesting that, what are they saying is illegal about the deal?"

The FA are pushing for random auditing of future transfers to be put out to tender rather than automatically handed over to Stevens' firm of forensic accountants, Quest.

The Premier League said in their report to clubs: "The Premier League and the FA have agreed to carry out a random audit of selected transfers from each window in order to further ensure compliance.

"The Premier League will be asking Quest to assist them in this and it may transpire that this becomes a joint initiative subject to agreement with the FA."

Yesterday's report also recommended FIFA are asked to launch their own inquiry into the conduct of some of the 15 agents involved in the 17 transfers Stevens refused to sign off.

A number of the agents named fall outside the FA's jurisdiction, meaning the world game's governing body would need to co-ordinate any future investigation into their activities.

FIFA today told PA Sport they had yet to receive the Quest report but believe the inquiry can only be good for football.

"We welcome any kind of investigation," said FIFA spokesman Andreas Herren.

"Any effort that helps better control the activities of agents and make them more transparent and helps them to avoid the problems that are currently encountered is welcome."

Stevens was yesterday criticised by former FA compliance officer Graham Bean for pointing the finger at agents without any hard evidence.

On the findings of the inquiry, Herren said: "We first have to receive the report and review it. They [the Premier League] will forward it to FIFA - my understanding is it hasn't been done yet.

"Once we receive it, our people will need time to review it and its implications.

"We can then communicate our stance on that."

FIFA last month voted to implement new regulations on agents, which come into force on January 1.

Herren added: "The task force has looked at the activities of agents and come up with a number of recommendations that are to be implemented as well."

Meanwhile, the vice-president of the Association of Football Agents Chris Heaton-Harris has admitted rogue operators continue to plague the industry.

He told the BBC: "Most agents are actually reputable businessmen who just want to get on with their jobs and work with the FA and work with the Premier League and have worked very happily with Lord Stevens.

"There are, I'm afraid, still a few rogue agents out there and this inquiry has highlighted that."

He added: "I guess money does corrupt a few."

Some of the agents named by Lord Stevens have completely rejected the inquiry's findings but Heaton-Harris said: "People who I represent, agents and the Association of Football Agents, are very comfortable with the findings of Lord Stevens' report.

"They've worked with Quest throughout, they're going to work with Quest in the future because Quest are going to continue their investigations. "We actually have no problem with trying to sort out this industry."

In order to do that, Heaton-Harris admits he needs to boost membership of the AFA, adding: "At this present moment in time, we don't represent the whole of the industry."