Max Clifford: 'WAGs want money and fame'

Published Apr 26 2011, 14:45 BST  |  By Mayer Nissim

Max Clifford has claimed that the wives and girlfriends of footballers often start such relationships because they are seeking fame.

The publicist told Heat that while some women do fall in love with their sportsmen partners, many seek out footballers for other reasons.

Clifford said: "Occasionally, as with Imogen [Thomas], it's because they fall in love. But generally they want the fame, money or an exciting lifestyle."

He added: "Often, the girls are as bad, for someone like Helen Wood [the prostitute who had sex with Wayne Rooney], it's business."

Since her affair with Rooney, Wood has been linked to a "world famous celebrity", but a court injunction has banned the name of the actor being published.

Last week, the injunction, banning the press from divulging the identity of a footballer reported to have had an affair with Thomas, was upheld.

Girls Aloud star Kimberley Walsh has suggested that the ruling was fair because Thomas "does make a living out of selling stories... that's what she's based her career on since Big Brother".