ICM Stellar Sports is growing again following the acquisition of German and Asian football agency Sports United GmbH.

The deal means another big expansion for ICM Stellar in the German market and creates a new division based in South Korea. Executive Chairman Jonathan Barnett said it would open new opportunities for clients and further strengthen ICM Stellar’s position as the world’s leading football agency.

Sports United is headed by Thies Bliemeister, the son of former Hamburg star Thomas and an agent of 17 years experience. The group has offices in Hamburg, Munich, Dusseldorf and Stuttgart as well as a strong presence in South Korea under the leadership of Managing Director Kevin Jang.

The agency is already known for pioneering a pathway into Europe for players from Asia and this acquisition marks a further milestone in the evolution of elite Asian football.

Speaking about the deal, Jonathan Barnett said: “Thies and his team commands huge respect in the business and his track record on discovering players and guiding their careers speaks for itself. Like us they believe in the very best for their clients and so it is a perfect match.

“By bringing his team into ICM Stellar, Thies is opening the door to even better openings for clients from both agencies, both on and off the field. Thies and Kevin bring to us an exciting mix of young and experienced players as well as tremendous expertise in the countries they operate in while we can offer them access to a global network of elite opportunity.”

Michael Reschke, ICM Stellar’s Head of European Football, added: “Thies is known as a strong personality who is a wonderful mentor to his players and someone who is a great innovator, especially in the way he opened up the market in South Korea. His joining ICM Stellar along with his team in Germany and Kevin’s team in Seoul is a great bonus for us.”

Thies added: “By joining together, ICM Stellar Sports moves into an even stronger position in the German, Asian, Austrian and Swiss markets while our existing clients will gain from ICM Stellar’s expertise in territories like England and Spain. We have always had a global agency ambition and this marks another step forward.”