When transfer records are broken, we know what to look for. Big-name players moving between big clubs, attached to the most famous agents. Or so we thought.

High-profile intermediaries like Jorge Mendes and David Manasseh used to dominate the top end of the market and while their influence continues to loom large, this summer has shown there is room for newcomers.

One of the most expensive transfers this summer was Morgan Rogers’ £117million move from Aston Villa to Chelsea – one of the Premier League’s best young attackers joining one of its wealthiest clubs.

In another era, Rogers might have been poached by one of the largest agencies long before he made the switch. Not this time, though. Rogers has stuck with Footwork Management, who have been handling his affairs since he was a youth player at Manchester City.

‘A deal like Morgan takes time,’ says Sam Kohansal, owner of Footwork. ‘It’s calls, meetings, travelling to games. You need a dedicated team and the knowledge to put it together. ‘The biggest agencies have big client lists and some players will not receive the attention they might want.

‘We’ve kept Footwork boutique. We didn’t want hundreds and hundreds of players. In four or five years with us, Morgan could see we’re not in it for the short term. It’s not about moving every two minutes. Every move he has had has been carefully planned with his career at the heart of it.’

The big dogs will still have their say, though. CAA Stellar, with Manasseh at the forefront, routinely top the charts for the number of deals completed and are still regarded by most as one of the best in the business. It was Stellar who brokered Elliot Anderson’s £116m transfer to Manchester City. Mendes’ organisation Gestifute are always up there too, along with Wasserman Media Group, now rebranded ‘The Team’. Relative newcomers ROOF signed up with Morgan Gibbs-White this summer.

Then there are agents whose reputation is so high that clubs will approach them to work informally for them across a window. Mendes, for example, has been across AC Milan’s sales this summer and played an important role in Rafael Leao’s move to Galatasaray. He was also involved in Ibrahim Mbaye’s move from Paris Saint-Germain to Villa and is trusted by Villa boss Unai Emery.

The higher the fees, the more complicated the deals. It stands to reason that where there is significant money to be made, more representatives will try to claim a slice of the pie. It is not just a question of two clubs agreeing a fee. There is contract length, image rights, commercial opportunities, sell-on clauses. It is vital for everyone to hold their nerve – one wrong step, one misunderstanding, and the entire deal can collapse, changing the future of all those involved.

‘It’s about limiting the risks as much as you can,’ explains Kohansal. ‘If you do it the right way and don’t play teams off against each other, you’ll get the deal done. With Morgan, we were not interested in an auction. Once Morgan had made his choice, it was about working with the clubs to find the right value for both.

‘The player has to be involved every step of the way. If you’re having conversations with PSG, with Bayern, with the other top English clubs, keep them involved. All the smaller outfits will have gems. It’s just how you handle them.’

Two Touch Agency, another medium-sized group, did the deal for Ollie Watkins to move to Al Hilal from Villa. Even though that one threatened to become messy when Watkins did not play for Villa at Brighton, Villa boss Unai Emery’s glowing words about Watkins suggested everyone had kissed and made up. Former Arsenal youngster Paolo Vernazza was the man who made that happen.

Michael Olise has worked with Glen Tweneboah throughout his career and Tweneboah was at his side when he joined Bayern Munich, just as he likely will be if Real Madrid eventually fulfil their desire to sign him.

The top agencies are not going anywhere and will always snap up the majority of the best talent. Yet the careers of Rogers, Olise and Watkins prove there is still plenty of room for other diners at football’s top table.