A number of leading football agents have said they would be open to deferring scheduled payments during the coronavirus pandemic, but only if club owners are transparent and reasonable.
Fees are due to be paid to a number of agents in the coming months in relation to previous transactions, which include transfer deals as well as contract renewals.
Some Premier League clubs have already been forced to furlough certain members of staff during the current worldwide crisis, while Southampton and West Ham remain the only top-flights clubs where the first-team squads have deferred part of their wages.
A number of EFL clubs have also been forced to furlough members of staff or to agree wage deferrals with their squads, with some even suggesting they are days away from going out of business.
Speaking to Sky Sports News, on the proviso that their identity was protected, one agent said: "Deferrals are acceptable - but only if club owners are transparent and reasonable. That's not always the case.
"Regardless of the current situation, clubs always delay and agents are always at the bottom of the list.
"Some clubs don't communicate the fee position to agents and then ignore us when the fee is due.
"We have to be mentally robust the vast majority of the time, but there is a fear of us becoming scapegoats if we go chasing payments that are due because there has been no dialogue from the clubs."
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Another agent claimed that the Football Association has no interest in helping agents chase money which is being held by clubs and it is common place that certain clubs do not pay on time.
The FA's current role when dealing with agents or intermediaries is to regulate their conduct and transactions and to operate the Clearing House.
The agent added: "It's a difficult situation for everyone at the moment and there's an understanding that clubs are dealing with a number of issues.
"We have to maintain relationships with these clubs for future dealings, so of course we are open to deferring certain payments and the likelihood is that these will have to be taken in 'good faith'.
"You just hope they keep to their word and it helps maintain or to build an even greater relationship."
However, another agent warned that deferring payments will ultimately come down to that person's own situation and need for the money above anything else.
Between February 1, 2018 and January 31, 2019, over £260m was paid to agents and intermediaries by Premier League clubs, with Liverpool the highest payers at over £43m.
The FA is understood to support clubs holding sensible discussions with agents over scheduled payments, but has left these matters for those directly involved in those discussions.
"If the contract is there, the club has to pay," the agent said.
"Clubs may look to do deals, whereby if they owe an agent £50,000, they may say 'we'll give you £15,000 now and the other £35,000 in six months' time'.
"But it comes down to the agent and their position, whether they can be flexible enough to defer that payment.
"If they can't. Well, certain clubs may have a problem on their hands."