Free transfer
Encyclopedia
In professional association football, a free transfer, also known as a Bosman transfer
, involves a professional association football club releasing a player once the player's contract
has expired or made available just before the end of the contract.
for their release due to having nothing left to pay on their contract, hence, the term free transfer. Some individual leagues have restrictions to protect academies. For example, in the UK, players under 23 who are out of contract are only available on a free transfer if released by the club holding the players' licence.
Another type of free transfer is when a player is transferred from one club to another for no price, sometimes a transfer for a nominal fee
is credited as a free transfer.
With six months or less remaining on an existing contract for players aged 23 or older, they are free to negotiate with other clubs and sign a pre-contract, indicating their ability to move to their intended club on a Bosman
transfer once the next transfer window opens.
Bosman ruling
Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
, involves a professional association football club releasing a player once the player's contract
Contract
A contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
has expired or made available just before the end of the contract.
How it works
The club acquiring the player does not have to pay any compensationRemuneration
Remuneration is the total compensation that an employee receives in exchange for the service they perform for their employer. Typically, this consists of monetary rewards, also referred to as wage or salary...
for their release due to having nothing left to pay on their contract, hence, the term free transfer. Some individual leagues have restrictions to protect academies. For example, in the UK, players under 23 who are out of contract are only available on a free transfer if released by the club holding the players' licence.
Another type of free transfer is when a player is transferred from one club to another for no price, sometimes a transfer for a nominal fee
Fee
A fee is the price one pays as remuneration for services. Fees usually allow for overhead, wages, costs, and markup.Traditionally, professionals in Great Britain received a fee in contradistinction to a payment, salary, or wage, and would often use guineas rather than pounds as units of account...
is credited as a free transfer.
With six months or less remaining on an existing contract for players aged 23 or older, they are free to negotiate with other clubs and sign a pre-contract, indicating their ability to move to their intended club on a Bosman
Bosman ruling
Union Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
transfer once the next transfer window opens.
Usage
Free transfers are common in leagues where money is less commonly available for clubs to spend on transfer fees. It is also common for players to leave wealthy clubs on a free transfer if the club cannot offer first team football, especially when departing for clubs in lower leagues.See also
- Bosman rulingBosman rulingUnion Royale Belge des Sociétés de Football Association ASBL v Jean-Marc Bosman is a 1995 European Court of Justice decision concerning freedom of movement for workers, freedom of association, and direct effect of article 39 of the EC Treaty...
- Free agentFree agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
- Free agent (football)
- Reserve clauseReserve clauseThe reserve clause is a term formerly employed in North American professional sports contracts. The reserve clause, contained in all standard player contracts, stated that, upon the contract's expiration the rights to the player were to be retained by the team to which he had been signed...
- Transfer (association football)