How football transfers work
Every season, clubs buy, sell and loan players, and headlines about fees and contracts fill the news. The rules behind them are less complicated than they look. This guide explains the basics of how a football transfer works, from the first offer to the player's registration.
What a transfer is
A transfer is the move of a player's registration from one club to another. The player has a contract with a club, and that contract is what the buying club is paying to end. The selling club agrees a fee, the player agrees personal terms with the new club, and the move is registered with the league and the national association.
The transfer window
Clubs can only register new players during set periods called transfer windows. Most European leagues have a summer window, which opens after the season ends and runs for about two or three months, and a shorter winter window in January. Outside those windows, a club can usually only sign players who have no club, known as free agents. Dates vary from country to country, so a player can sometimes move from a league whose window has closed to one that is still open.
The fee
The transfer fee is what the buying club pays the selling club. It is often split into instalments over several years, and often includes add-ons: extra payments if the player reaches targets such as appearances, goals or a trophy. This is why the headline fee reported in the news is often different from what is paid on day one. A sell-on clause gives a former club a share of the fee if the player is sold again, which is common when a smaller club sells a young player to a bigger one.
Contracts and release clauses
A player's contract has a start and end date, and the length matters. A club with a player on a long contract is in a strong position, because it can ask for a high fee or refuse to sell. A club with a player in the final year of his contract is in a weak one, because he can leave for nothing in the summer.
A release clause is a figure written into a contract. If another club pays that amount, the selling club has to let the player talk to them. These are common in Spain and some other leagues.
Free agents and pre-contracts
A player whose contract has ended is a free agent and can sign anywhere without a fee. In many countries a player can also agree a deal with a new club in the last six months of his contract and join for free when it ends. This is known as a pre-contract. It is why clubs worry about players who do not renew, and why you hear about players running down their contracts.
A court case in 1995, known as the Bosman ruling, changed the rules in Europe so that players can leave when their contract ends and clubs can no longer demand a fee for them.
Loans
In a loan, a player moves to another club for a set period, usually a season, and returns when it ends. The borrowing club pays some or all of his wages, and sometimes a fee. Loans are common for young players who need match experience. Some loans include an option or an obligation to buy at the end of the period. A club cannot usually play a loaned player against his parent club unless the deal allows it.
Agents
Most players have an agent, who negotiates contracts and moves for the player and receives a fee. Agents are regulated by the football authorities, and the money paid to them is often a large part of a transfer's total cost.
Why transfers matter for fans
A transfer can change a title race, but it can also change what you see on ScoreHub. When a player moves clubs, his profile and team change after the data provider updates. A squad on the line-ups tab shows who the club has registered, so a new signing may not appear in a match squad until the paperwork is complete.
Nigerian players abroad
Many Nigerian players move to clubs in Europe and elsewhere, often starting at a smaller club and moving to a bigger league after a good season. The rules above apply to them as well, along with work-permit and registration rules in the country they join. Use the Players page on ScoreHub to look up a player and see where he is playing now.