Gersh has expanded into soccer by acquiring UK-based agency PLG and merging it with You First Football, the football arm of You First that Gersh bought in 2024. The combined business will operate under the new name Gersh Football and is designed to strengthen the company’s global representation platform across the sport. Financial terms of the PLG deal were not disclosed.
The new agency will represent a range of high-profile players, including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarrod Bowen, Fabián Ruiz, Alexia Putellas and Christoph Baumgartner. PLG’s existing client list also includes Real Madrid star Alexander-Arnold, West Ham captain Bowen and England midfielder Jordan Henderson. By bringing PLG and You First Football together, Gersh aims to create a larger international operation with broader reach across Europe and other key football markets.
Gersh Football will remain headquartered in Spain, where You First is based, while also opening a new office in the UK. The company already has a presence in several countries, including Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Portugal, Brazil, Belgium and Senegal, among other markets. Gersh said the new structure will allow the business to provide a more coordinated and international service to players and coaches working across Europe’s top leagues and to talent competing globally.
The move continues Gersh’s push deeper into the sports sector after its late-2024 acquisition of You First, a deal that significantly increased its employee base. With the addition of PLG, the company has grown again and strengthened its position in football representation. The strategy reflects a broader trend among major American agencies seeking to expand their footprint in European soccer.
Gersh managing partner Steve Gersh and You First CEO Juan Aísa said they had spent years looking for the right UK partner and found that fit in PLG. They said the agencies shared the same values, including passion, care and ability, and that combining them would close an important gap in building a truly global representation network. Their comments underscore the company’s intention to compete at the highest level in football management and talent representation.
The expansion comes as several other major US agencies have also been moving into European soccer. CAA and UTA have both increased their presence in the sport, with UTA recently buying Virgil van Dijk’s representation firm ROOF. Gersh’s latest move shows how competition is intensifying among top agencies as they seek influence in one of the world’s most valuable sports markets.
Outside sports, Gersh is also known for representing entertainment clients such as Marisa Tomei, Melissa Leo and Constance Wu. The latest acquisition marks another step in the agency’s diversification and signals its ambition to become a major player in international football representation.
