Ciro Palermo
South America Pathways
Argentina €70mm
Key Facts
Also known as: Ciro Palermo (IT) – “FIFA agent” (media descriptor)
Date of birth: Not publicly listed
FIFA Agent Licence: Not publicly listed (media has referred to him as a FIFA agent)
Other registrations: The FA – FA Registered Football Agent (FARA1252); FIGC (Italy) – listed in the 2018 “Registro provvisorio”
Primary agency / company: Patagonia Sports (co-founder, per Italian press bio)
Job Title: Football Intermediary / Player Agent
Client capacity: Boutique (8 clients) – Players / Total market value: 8 / €70mm
Languages: Not publicly listed
Base Locations: Lugano, Switzerland – with operating links to Italy, Malta and South America
Specialisms: South American scouting-to-Europe pipeline; Malta as a development league; elite representation (Cristian Romero) plus emerging talents
Email: ciro.palermo@hotmail.com
Phone / WhatsApp: +39 348 463 1597
Website / Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciropalermo/ | X: https://x.com/ciro_palermo
About Ciro Palermo
Ciro Palermo is an Italian football agent whose work is strongly tied to building pathways between South American football and European opportunities, with Malta often used as a practical stepping-stone league for adaptation and visibility. He has been described in media as a “FIFA agent” and has spoken publicly about using the Maltese league as a formative environment for South American players, while simultaneously managing elite-level representation through his headline client Cristian “Cuti” Romero.
In Italian football-industry bios, Palermo is presented as a sporting director and co-founder of the scouting agency Patagonia Sports alongside FIFA agent Pierluigi Salemme, and as the son of established agent Paolo Palermo. That origin story fits a clear profile: relationship-building in Argentina and surrounding markets, talent identification, and then deal execution into European clubs across different tiers.
Operationally, his footprint shows up in formal registries and association roles: he appears in the FIGC’s provisional agents register (with a Lugano address under Cifra Football Management Sagl), and he is listed by The FA as a registered football agent. Within IAFA (Italian Association of Football Agents), he is named among “Top Agents” and also as a delegate for relationships with clubs/agents in Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay – a neat summary of his geographic edge.
Highlights:
South America specialist network (Argentina-focused, plus Uruguay/Paraguay coverage via IAFA role)
Dual-tier practice: elite (Romero) plus development placements (Malta, reserves/U23)
Boutique book: a small roster, concentrated market value, high attention per client
Cross-border compliance footprint (FA registration; appears in FIGC register documentation)
Career Snapshot
Origin story: Scouting/intermediary pathway tied to Argentine football, working with Pierluigi Salemme; mentored via family connection to agent Paolo Palermo (per Italian interview/bio sources).
Milestones:
Elite anchor client: Cristian Romero at Tottenham (contract runs to 2029; extension listed 18 Aug 2025).
Italy–Malta corridor: public comments positioning Malta as a development league for South American players.
Association role: IAFA delegate for international relationships (Argentina/Uruguay/Paraguay).
Network strengths: Argentina scouting ecosystem; Malta club relationships; Italy/UK compliance presence via registrations.
Support Team / Partners
Pierluigi Salemme – scouting/intermediation partner referenced in Italian football media profiles/interviews
IAFA network – institutional connections through IAFA roles and committees
Client Roster
Top players and talents (current)
Cristian Gabriel Romero (Tottenham Hotspur) – 27/04/1998
Nahuel Bustos (CA Talleres) – 04/07/1998
Santiago Fernández (CA Talleres II) – 30/03/2005
Matías Nicolás García (Hamrun Spartans) – 22/07/1996
Marco Emilio Nichetti (Virtus Entella) – 22/12/1996
Tomás Olmos (CA River Plate Montevideo) – 22/01/2005
Nehemías Joaquín Rikemberg (Club Atlético Deportivo Colon (Córdoba)) – 04/01/1999
Augusto René Cáseres (Swieqi United FC) – 21/11/1997
Coaches/Staff represented
No public listings found (reputable sources)
Notable Deals Led by Ciro Palermo
2025 – Cristian Romero: Tottenham Hotspur contract extension (contract to 30/06/2029; extension listed 18/08/2025).
2025 – Marco Emilio Nichetti: Virtus Entella (joined 08/07/2025).
2025 – Matías Nicolás García: Hamrun Spartans (joined 01/07/2025).
2025 – Tomás Olmos: CA River Plate Montevideo (loan) (joined 27/08/2025).
2024 – Augusto René Cáseres: Swieqi United FC (joined 01/07/2024).
2023 – Nahuel Bustos: CA Talleres (joined 01/07/2023).
2022 – Cristian Romero: Tottenham Hotspur for €52mm
Track Record (last 3 seasons)
Total transfers completed: 5 client moves (2023–2025 join/loan events shown on Transfermarkt player pages).
Deals ≥ €10m: 0 publicly evidenced within 2023–2025 in accessible sources
Clients in top-5 leagues: 1 (Premier League – Cristian Romero)
National team clients: Cristian Romero (Argentina); Matías García (Malta); Tomás Olmos (Argentina U20)
Renewal/extension deals: 1 notable extension (Romero, 2025)
Compliance & Accreditation
Bodies:
The FA – FA Registered Football Agent: FARA1252 (not authorised to represent minors on the list dated 28 Nov 2025)
FIGC – listed in the 2018 provisional agents register (address/contacts shown)
IAFA – listed in IAFA materials (Top Agents committee; international relations delegate for Argentina/Uruguay/Paraguay)
Testimonials
“The Maltese League can be formative for S. Americans…” (Times of Malta headline framing of Palermo’s view).
Salemme interview describing working “in Argentina with my partner Ciro Palermo” on scouting and intermediations to Europe.
Press, Awards & Recognition
Feature interview/profile – Times of Malta (Malta–South America pathway + Romero context).
IAFA recognition/roles (Top Agents committee; delegate for Argentina/Uruguay/Paraguay relations).
UK industry visibility via FA registration list (as of 28 Nov 2025).
