Pino Pagliara: 'I made up Premier League manager bribes claim'

Pino Pagliara, the agent at the centre of the corruption scandal engulfing English football, has claimed that he lied when he suggested that eight current and ex-Premier League managers took bribes.

In an investigation by The Telegraph, the Italian was filmed saying that he knew of top football managers who were 'bent', in a conversation with undercover reporters posing as a fake Far East firm with an interest in English football investments.

However, the 61-year-old has now said that he was lying in a bid to impress the bogus businessmen, who had reportedly offered him £400,000 to take up an advisory role with the fictitious company.

Pagliari told ITV News: "At 61 years old you don't get offers like that. I'm still waiting for my company car and I don't think I'll get it."

In a separate interview with BBC Sport, he said: "I allowed them to believe the managers would not drop the money on the floor if I gave it to them."

The scandal has led to Sam Allardyce leaving the role of England manager and Barnsley assistant boss Tommy Wright losing his job.