BN Zini Marketing & Management (VTN Image)
Brazilian Talent Bridge
Brazil €26mm
Key Facts
Also known as: BN Zini; Zini Marketing & Management; VTN Image
Founded: Late 1990s (over 25 years in the football market; exact incorporation dates differ between group companies)
Headquarters: Rua Rafael de Andrade Duarte 600, sala 22, Jardim Paraíso, 13100-011 Campinas – São Paulo, Brazil
Players: 47 (1st tier: 10) – Total market value: €26mm
FIFA/FA registration: Luiz Roberto “Nenê” Zini Jr – long-standing FIFA agent in Brazil; agency verified on major industry databases (license ID not publicly disclosed)
Languages: Portuguese, English, Spanish (working)
Regions covered: Brazil, Portugal & Iberia, broader Europe, Asia (China, Japan, Vietnam, Middle East)
Email: contato@bnzini.com.br
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bnzini/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bn.zini.77
About
BN Zini Marketing & Management, operating internationally as VTN Image Representação e Agenciamento, is a Brazilian player-representation group with more than 25 years in the market. The agency is led by the Zini family and specialises in managing careers from academy level through to established professionals in Brazil, Portugal and other European leagues, as well as Asia.
Alongside individual representation, the group has also been heavily involved in club projects such as the Esporte Clube Primavera SAF, where Nenê Zini partnered with former Portugal international Deco to acquire 90 % of the football department.
BN Zini differentiates itself through in-house legal, financial and career-planning support, plus a long track record of placing Brazilian talent in Portugal and other stepping-stone leagues.
Key People
CEO / Founder:
Luiz Roberto “Nenê” Zini Jr – Brazilian-Italian businessman and long-time FIFA-licensed agent; owner of BN Zini and principal of VTN Image. Formerly a powerful figure around Guarani FC and co-owner of the Esporte Clube Primavera SAF alongside Deco.
Managing Director / Head of Football:
Nenê Zini (functions as de facto head of football operations across BN Zini / VTN Image network).
Licensed agents (selection):
Luiz Roberto “Nenê” Zini Jr – FIFA agent (Brazil)
Júlio César Diniz – football agent listed as “Agente” for VTN Image; active at BN Zini Marketing & Management
Client Roster
(Selection – based primarily on the VTN Image agency listing plus BN Zini’s own player pages; clubs as of 2025)
Top players and talents (current)
Rayan (Vasco da Gama) – 03/08/2026
Bruno Brígido (Académico Viseu FC) – 09/03/1991
Murilo Freitas (Rio Ave FC / on loan from Brazilian club) – 12/05/1996
Bruno Nazário (Henan FC) – 09/02/1995
Lucca (Ceará SC) – 02/04/2003
Getúlio (Chapecoense) – 10/06/1997
Lucas Silva (FC Seoul) – 27/08/1999
Ribamar (Dong A Thanh Hóa FC) – 21/05/1997
Paulo Baya (Ceará SC) – 26/07/1999
Welliton (Goiás EC) – 14/07/2000
Gabriel Buscariol Poveda (Avaí FC / Vila Nova previously) – 07/07/1998
Willian Rocha (Porto Vitória FC) – 01/04/1989
Murilo (EC Primavera) – 12/05/1996
Renatinho (EC Primavera) – 31/01/1992
Matheus Anjos (EC Primavera) – 21/12/1998
Renato Vischi (EC Primavera) – 30/05/1998
Tiago Reis (Petro de Luanda) – 14/08/1999
Gabriel Tobias (EC Primavera) – 05/03/2005
Calyl (CSA B) – 28/05/2006
Davi (EC Primavera) – 05/02/2003
Borech (GD Prudente) – 14/01/2002
Joelson (EC Primavera) – 14/12/2004
Janderson (Cruzeiro EC Sub-20) – 31/08/2005
Tiaguinho (Ituano FC) – 14/06/2001
Jhosefer (América Mineiro) – 09/03/2004
Anthony (AA Internacional de Bebedouro) – 16/01/2003
João Victor (EC Primavera) – 06/04/2002
Notable former clients
Roberto Firmino – represented by Nenê Zini during his move from Figueirense to Hoffenheim and early European career
Baraka – defensive midfielder whose economic rights were historically linked to Nenê Zini in Brazilian media coverage
Cacá (Cruzeiro) – centre-back whose contract renewal negotiations were handled by agent Nenê Zini
Coaches / Staff represented
Not publicly listed; BN Zini / VTN Image are primarily known for player representation.
Notable Deals
2018 – Bruno Brígido from Coritiba to Feirense (Portugal) – permanent transfer with BN Zini / VTN Image as player agent; later renewed and moved again within Portugal (Feirense to Estrela Amadora in 2022, then to Académico Viseu in 2025).
2019 – Getúlio from Tombense to Paços de Ferreira (Portugal) – loan deal into Europe, organised while VTN Image acted as his agent, followed by further loans between Tombense, Avaí and European clubs.
2019–2020 – Murilo Freitas’ loan and subsequent permanent move involving Mirassol, Paços de Ferreira and Rio Ave in Portugal – VTN Image listed as his agent throughout this sequence.
2020s – Multiple contract renewals and transfers for BN Zini clients at Rio Ave, Santa Clara, Estrela Amadora and Chapecoense, including Paulo Eduardo’s move from Cruzeiro to Santa Clara.
2020–2025 – Ongoing domestic and international deals for Primavera-linked players (Murilo, Renatinho, Bonassa and others) as part of the Primavera SAF project co-owned by BN Zini and Deco.
Services
Contract negotiation and renewals
Domestic and international transfers and loans (Brazil, Portugal, wider Europe, Asia)
Career management and long-term planning from academy to late-career phases
Scouting and placement of Brazilian talent into Portuguese and European clubs
Commercial deals, local sponsorships and basic image-rights structuring for selected clients
Support around relocation, housing and day-to-day logistics, especially for exports to Portugal and Asia
Coordination with external specialists for legal, tax, psychological and performance services
Partner Network
Clubs & academies:
Strong historical links with Esporte Clube Primavera (SAF co-ownership with Deco)
Track record of placing players with Rio Ave, Paços de Ferreira, Feirense, Estrela Amadora, Académico Viseu and various Brazilian clubs (Cruzeiro, Goiás, Ceará, Chapecoense and others)
Professional partners:
Brazilian and Portuguese law firms and tax advisers that appear in club transparency documents alongside VTN Image
Local fitness, medical and performance providers connected to Primavera and other BN Zini club projects
Track Record (last 3 seasons – indicative)
Total transfers completed:
At least 20–25 documented professional transfers and loans involving VTN Image clients between 2022–2025 across Brazil, Portugal and other leagues
Deals ≥ €10m:
No headline transfers above €10m directly attributed solely to VTN Image; the group is more focused on mid-market fees and developmental moves
Clients in top-5 leagues:
Historically involved with players who reached major European leagues (e.g. Roberto Firmino in Bundesliga and Premier League), but recent activity is concentrated on Brazil, Portugal and secondary European markets
National team clients:
Youth national-team involvement for several prospects, including Brazil U17 players
Renewal / extension deals:
Multiple renewals for emerging talents in Brazil, including high-profile contract extensions such as those for defender Cacá at Cruzeiro
Approach & Philosophy
BN Zini emphasises long-term relationships and family-style management, reflecting the Zini family’s deep roots in São Paulo football and their experience with club management at Guarani and Primavera. The agency prefers to integrate young players into structured projects – such as Primavera’s SAF – before exporting them to Portugal or other leagues, aiming to control both development environment and transfer pathways.
On negotiations, BN Zini / VTN Image are known as firm but pragmatic counterparts: combining personal relationships in Brazilian football with growing use of European data platforms and market benchmarks from leagues like Liga Portugal and Asian competitions. The group frequently uses Portugal as a stepping-stone league to showcase Brazilian players in a more visible European context before considering larger moves.
Fees & Transparency
Commission structure:
The agency is not publicly transparent about fixed commission percentages. In practice, deals appear to follow standard FIFA / CBF market norms, with percentage-based commissions on player salary and transfer-related payments, within the limits of current FIFA Football Agent Regulations.
Dual representation:
No explicit public policy. Club transparency documents show VTN Image being paid by clubs in some operations, indicating that dual or club-side representation can occur where regulations permit.
Image rights & expenses:
Image-rights vehicles or dedicated companies are not clearly documented for this agency. The operating model appears to be classic agent–player contracting plus service-fee arrangements with clubs, with additional costs (travel, marketing content, highlight videos) handled on a case-by-case basis rather than via a published policy.
Compliance & Reputation
Disciplinary actions / sanctions:
No formal disciplinary sanctions are publicly recorded against BN Zini / VTN Image or Nenê Zini in FIFA or CBF disciplinary decisions. The agency appears regularly in official financial transparency documents from clubs, indicating it operates within the regulated system.
Litigation / disputes:
BN Zini’s corporate entities have appeared as creditors or parties in various civil and commercial proceedings in Brazil, largely around debts or credit arrangements with clubs, reflecting its role as an investor and intermediary rather than specific misconduct findings.
Media sentiment:
Media coverage is mixed. Local and national outlets portray Nenê Zini as both a key investor and rescuer at clubs like Guarani and Primavera, while also criticising the extent of his influence and some player-placement decisions, particularly in debates over third-party ownership and the use of clubs as “showcases” for players.
Awards / Recognition
No formal global agency-of-the-year style awards recorded for BN Zini / VTN Image.
Indirect recognition through:
Primavera’s historic promotion to the Paulistão under the SAF co-owned by Nenê Zini and Deco
High-profile clients who reached elite European levels, most notably Roberto Firmino, whose early move to Hoffenheim and subsequent rise at Liverpool were partially steered by agent Nenê Zini
