Transfer (football)
Encyclopedia
In professional association football, a transfer is the action taken whenever a player under contract moves between professional clubs. It refers to the transferring of a player's registration from one professional association football club to another. In general, the players can only be transferred during a transfer window
and according to the rules set by a governing body
. Usually some sort of compensation is paid for the player's rights. When a player moves from one club to another, his old contract is terminated and he negotiates a new one with the club he is moving to, unlike in American, Canadian and Australian sports, where teams essentially trade
existing player contracts.
after the Football Association
(FA) introduced player registration sometime after 1885.
Before that, a player could agree to play one or more games for any football club. After the FA recognized professionalism in 1885, it sought to control professional players by introducing a player registration system. Players had to register with a club each season, even if he remained with the same club from the season before. A player was not allowed to play until he was registered for that season. Once a player was registered with a club, he was not allowed to be registered with or play for another club during the same season without the permission of the FA and the club that held his registration. The players however, were free to join another club before the start of each season, even if their former club wished to retain them.
Sometime after the Football League was formed in 1888, the Football League decided that restrictions had to be placed on the ability of richer clubs to lure players from other clubs to prevent the league being dominated by a handful of clubs. From the start of the 1893–94 season onwards, once a player was registered with a Football League club, he could not be registered with any other club, even in subsequent seasons, without the permission of the club he was registered with. It applied even if the player's annual contract with the club holding his registration was not renewed after it expired. The club was not obliged to play him and, without a contract, the player was not entitled to receive a salary. Nevertheless, if the club refused to release his registration, the player could not play for any other Football League club.
Football League clubs soon came to realize that they could demand and earn a transfer fee from any other Football League club as consideration
for agreeing to release or transfer the player's registration.
The Football League's player registration system came to be known as the "retain and transfer" system
.
In England, the "retain" aspect of the system was removed after a decision by the High Court in 1963 in Eastham vs. Newcastle United that it was unreasonable. The transfer system remained unchanged until the Bosman ruling
.
is a ban on transfers.
In 2005, Roma
were given a one year transfer ban by FIFA
, beginning on 1 July, when in September 2004, French
centre back Philippe Mexès
joined the club while still under contract with Auxerre
. On appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
(CAS) in December 2005, the ban was reduced to end after the January transfer window, but CAS upheld the view that Roma had "not only encouraged Mexès to break his contract
with Auxerre, but actively provoked the break."
In April 2009, Sion
were told by FIFA that they could not sign any players until the 2010 off-season, as punishment for signing Egypt
ian goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary
from Al-Ahly
in 2008 before his contract expired. The club appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
, who froze the sanction pending a ruling, expected by the end of 2009. The ban was eventually lifted by FIFA.
On 3 September 2009, Chelsea
were banned from registering any new players in the January and Summer 2010 transfer windows, after FIFA's dispute resolution chamber (DRC) ruled that French winger Gaël Kakuta
had breached his contract
with French club Lens
when he joined Chelsea in 2007, and that Chelsea had induced him to do so. However the ban was quickly lifted by FIFA.
. Lists in other currencies differ due to exchange rate fluctuations.
European football experienced a "transfer bubble" fueled by rapidly rising television rights sales between 1999 and 2002, and fees then fell away significantly, before rising again towards the end of the 2000s. The three most expensive transfers since that time were all made by Spanish
clubs in 2009, two by Real Madrid
and one by Barcelona
. In June 2009, Real Madrid purchased Kaká
from Milan
for a fee of £56 million, followed shortly thereafter by their £80 million purchase of Cristiano Ronaldo
from Manchester United
.
Transfer fees are not always officially confirmed by the transacting clubs, and figures published by unofficial sources may or may not take into account various fees (e.g. to agents), performance related elements of the fee, and the notional value of any players included in part exchange. This leads to different figures being given by different sources. Performance related clauses have become more common in recent years, meaning that it is harder to produce definitive lists of the largest transfer fees than was the case in the past.
The following players are ranked in order of the inflation adjusted fees:
For football coaches, the list is as follows:
By club
Another situation may be where the current club is also a party to the pre-contract, and the transfer is conditional, for example, on a fee being agreed between the clubs or terms being agreed between the player and the new club, or the transfer is intended to take effect only after the player reaches a certain age.
The pre-contract is intended to prevent a third club from signing the player while details are still being negotiated or when the future date arrives.
As the player's registration remains with the current club, however, the existence of a pre-contract may be unknown to other clubs who wish to sign the player.
This solidarity contribution reflects the number of years he was registered with the relevant club(s) between the seasons of his 12th and 23rd birthdays, as follows:
was sold to Vålerenga Fotball
, for a reduced rate (Norwegian kroner one million) so that AS Nancy
would be swindled out of part of their fees resulting from the transfer.
Transfer window
The transfer window is the period during the year in which a football club can transfer players from other countries into their playing staff. Such a transfer is completed by registering the player into the new club through FIFA...
and according to the rules set by a governing body
Sport governing body
A sport governing body is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function. Sport governing bodies come in various forms, and have a variety of regulatory functions. Examples of this can include disciplinary action for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport...
. Usually some sort of compensation is paid for the player's rights. When a player moves from one club to another, his old contract is terminated and he negotiates a new one with the club he is moving to, unlike in American, Canadian and Australian sports, where teams essentially trade
Trade (sports)
In professional sports, a trade is a sports league transaction involving an exchange of players' contracts or draft picks between teams. Cash is another commodity that may be packaged together with contracts or draft picks to complete a trade...
existing player contracts.
History
The concept of a football transfer first came into existence in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
after the Football Association
The Football Association
The Football Association, also known as simply The FA, is the governing body of football in England, and the Crown Dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man. It was formed in 1863, and is the oldest national football association...
(FA) introduced player registration sometime after 1885.
Before that, a player could agree to play one or more games for any football club. After the FA recognized professionalism in 1885, it sought to control professional players by introducing a player registration system. Players had to register with a club each season, even if he remained with the same club from the season before. A player was not allowed to play until he was registered for that season. Once a player was registered with a club, he was not allowed to be registered with or play for another club during the same season without the permission of the FA and the club that held his registration. The players however, were free to join another club before the start of each season, even if their former club wished to retain them.
Sometime after the Football League was formed in 1888, the Football League decided that restrictions had to be placed on the ability of richer clubs to lure players from other clubs to prevent the league being dominated by a handful of clubs. From the start of the 1893–94 season onwards, once a player was registered with a Football League club, he could not be registered with any other club, even in subsequent seasons, without the permission of the club he was registered with. It applied even if the player's annual contract with the club holding his registration was not renewed after it expired. The club was not obliged to play him and, without a contract, the player was not entitled to receive a salary. Nevertheless, if the club refused to release his registration, the player could not play for any other Football League club.
Football League clubs soon came to realize that they could demand and earn a transfer fee from any other Football League club as consideration
Consideration
Consideration is the central concept in the common law of contracts and is required, in most cases, for a contract to be enforceable. Consideration is the price one pays for another's promise. It can take a number of forms: money, property, a promise, the doing of an act, or even refraining from...
for agreeing to release or transfer the player's registration.
The Football League's player registration system came to be known as the "retain and transfer" system
Retain and transfer system
The retain and transfer system was a restriction that existed in England from 1893 until 1963 on the freedom of professional association football players to transfer from one Football League club to another...
.
In England, the "retain" aspect of the system was removed after a decision by the High Court in 1963 in Eastham vs. Newcastle United that it was unreasonable. The transfer system remained unchanged until the Bosman ruling
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...
.
Medical examination
Players will commonly undergo a medical examination and/or physical fitness test before a transfer completes. Occasionally, previously unknown medical problems will be detected, potentially jeopardizing the transfer or the size of the fee.Transfer bans
One method of club punishment used by the football governing body FIFAFIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
is a ban on transfers.
In 2005, Roma
A.S. Roma
Associazione Sportiva Roma, commonly referred to as simply Roma, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. Founded by a merger in 1927, Roma have participated in the top-tier of Italian football for all of their existence but one season in the early 50s...
were given a one year transfer ban by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
, beginning on 1 July, when in September 2004, French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
centre back Philippe Mexès
Philippe Mexès
Philippe Mexès is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Italian Serie A club Milan and for the French national team.-Auxerre:...
joined the club while still under contract with Auxerre
AJ Auxerre
Association de la Jeunesse Auxerroise is a French association football club based in the commune of Auxerre in Burgundy. The club was founded in 1905 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top division of French football. Auxerre plays its home matches at the Stade l'Abbé-Deschamps on the banks of the...
. On appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
(CAS) in December 2005, the ban was reduced to end after the January transfer window, but CAS upheld the view that Roma had "not only encouraged Mexès to break his contract
Breach of contract
Breach of contract is a legal cause of action in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party's performance....
with Auxerre, but actively provoked the break."
In April 2009, Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
were told by FIFA that they could not sign any players until the 2010 off-season, as punishment for signing Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary
Essam El-Hadary
Essam El-Hadary is an Egyptian goalkeeper, playing for Sudan Premier League side El-Merreikh.-Club career:Swiss club FC Sion announced that they had signed El-Hadary to a four-year contract in February 2008, despite claims to the contrary from his club Al-Ahly...
from Al-Ahly
Al-Ahly
Al-Ahly Sports Club , commonly known as simply Al-Ahly, is an Egyptian sporting club. Founded in April 1907, Al-Ahly was named in 2000 by the Confederation of African Football as the "African Club of the Century"...
in 2008 before his contract expired. The club appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
, who froze the sanction pending a ruling, expected by the end of 2009. The ban was eventually lifted by FIFA.
On 3 September 2009, Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
were banned from registering any new players in the January and Summer 2010 transfer windows, after FIFA's dispute resolution chamber (DRC) ruled that French winger Gaël Kakuta
Gaël Kakuta
Gaël Kakuta is a French footballer of Congolese descent. He currently plays for Premier League club Bolton Wanderers on loan from Chelsea...
had breached his contract
Breach of contract
Breach of contract is a legal cause of action in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party's performance....
with French club Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...
when he joined Chelsea in 2007, and that Chelsea had induced him to do so. However the ban was quickly lifted by FIFA.
Highest fees
The following table shows the top 15 highest transfer fees ever paid in GBPPound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
. Lists in other currencies differ due to exchange rate fluctuations.
European football experienced a "transfer bubble" fueled by rapidly rising television rights sales between 1999 and 2002, and fees then fell away significantly, before rising again towards the end of the 2000s. The three most expensive transfers since that time were all made by Spanish
La Liga
The Primera División of the Liga Nacional de Fútbol Profesional , commonly known as La Liga or, for sponsorship reasons, Liga BBVA since 2008, is the top professional association football division of the Spanish football league system...
clubs in 2009, two by Real Madrid
Real Madrid C.F.
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la...
and one by Barcelona
FC Barcelona
Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain....
. In June 2009, Real Madrid purchased Kaká
Kaká
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
from Milan
A.C. Milan
Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others...
for a fee of £56 million, followed shortly thereafter by their £80 million purchase of Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
from Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
.
Transfer fees are not always officially confirmed by the transacting clubs, and figures published by unofficial sources may or may not take into account various fees (e.g. to agents), performance related elements of the fee, and the notional value of any players included in part exchange. This leads to different figures being given by different sources. Performance related clauses have become more common in recent years, meaning that it is harder to produce definitive lists of the largest transfer fees than was the case in the past.
The following players are ranked in order of the inflation adjusted fees:
| Rank | Player | From | To | Transfer Fee (M Million One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106... £ ) |
Transfer Fee (M Million One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106... € Euro The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,... ) |
Year | (M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Cristiano RonaldoCristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team... |
 Manchester United |
 Real MadridReal Madrid Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... |
£80 | €94 | 2009 2009 in association football - General :*Major League Soccer expands to 15 teams with the launch of Seattle Sounders FC.*Women's Professional Soccer, the successor to the defunct Women's United Soccer Association in the USA, launched in March with 7 teams.... |
£ |
| 2 |  Zinedine ZidaneZinedine Zidane Zinedine Yazid Zidane is a retired French footballer. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. Zidane was a leading figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship... |
 JuventusJuventus F.C. Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont... |
Real Madrid Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... |
£53 | €86 | 2001 | £ |
| 3 |  Zlatan IbrahimovićZlatan Ibrahimovic Zlatan Ibrahimović is a Swedish footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Milan and the Swedish national team for which he is captain.... |
Internazionale F.C. Internazionale Milano Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always... |
Barcelona FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.... |
£59 | €72 | 2009 2009 in association football - General :*Major League Soccer expands to 15 teams with the launch of Seattle Sounders FC.*Women's Professional Soccer, the successor to the defunct Women's United Soccer Association in the USA, launched in March with 7 teams.... |
£ |
| 4 |  KakáKaká Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club... |
Milan A.C. Milan Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others... |
Real Madrid Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... |
£56 | €68.5 | 2009 2009 in association football - General :*Major League Soccer expands to 15 teams with the launch of Seattle Sounders FC.*Women's Professional Soccer, the successor to the defunct Women's United Soccer Association in the USA, launched in March with 7 teams.... |
£ |
| 5 | Luís Figo Luís Figo Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009... |
Barcelona FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.... |
Real Madrid Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... |
£44 | €60 | 2000 | £ |
| 6 | Fernando Torres Fernando Torres Fernando José Torres Sanz , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Spain national team as a striker.... |
Liverpool Liverpool F.C. Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups... |
Chelsea Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... |
£50 | €58 | 2011 2011 in association football The following are the scheduled events of association football for the year 2011 throughout the world.-Men:* January 5 – 17 — 2011 Nile Basin Tournament in Egypt** ** ** ** 4th:... |
£ |
| 7 |  Hernán CrespoHernán Crespo Hernán Jorge Crespo is an Argentine footballer who plays for Parma in the Italian Serie A. Crespo has scored over 300 goals in a career spanning 18 years. His honors include an Olympic Games silver medal, a Copa Libertadores, an English Premier League title and three Scudettos. He was topscorer in... |
Parma Parma F.C. Parma Football Club , commonly referred to as just Parma, is an Italian professional football club based in Parma, Emilia–Romagna that will compete in Serie A for the 2011–12 season, having finished in twelfth position last season. Founded as Verdi Foot Ball Club in July 1913, the club changed its... |
Lazio S.S. Lazio Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football... |
£38 | €48 | 2000 | £ |
| 8 | Gianluigi Buffon Gianluigi Buffon Gianluigi "Gigi" Buffon, Ufficiale OMRI , is an Italian footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Serie A club Juventus and the Italian national team. He has won the FIFA World Cup and is widely considered by fans and experts to be one of most dominant and successful goalkeepers in history... |
Parma Parma F.C. Parma Football Club , commonly referred to as just Parma, is an Italian professional football club based in Parma, Emilia–Romagna that will compete in Serie A for the 2011–12 season, having finished in twelfth position last season. Founded as Verdi Foot Ball Club in July 1913, the club changed its... |
Juventus Juventus F.C. Juventus Football Club S.p.A. , commonly referred to as Juventus and colloquially as Juve , are a professional Italian association football club based in Turin, Piedmont... |
£38 | €57 | 2001 | £ |
| =9 | Christian Vieri Christian Vieri Christian Vieri is a retired Italian footballer who played as a centre forward.Vieri was named in the FIFA 100, a list of the 125 greatest living footballers selected by Pelé as a part of FIFA's centenary celebrations... |
Lazio S.S. Lazio Società Sportiva Lazio, commonly referred to as Lazio, is a professional Italian football club based in Rome. The team, founded in 1900, play in the Serie A and have spent most of their history in the top tier of Italian football... |
Internazionale F.C. Internazionale Milano Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always... |
£31 | €47.3 | 1999 | £ |
| =9 |  Andriy ShevchenkoAndriy Shevchenko Andriy Mykolayovych Shevchenko is a Ukrainian footballer who plays for Dynamo Kyiv and the Ukraine national team as a striker. He is the third-highest scorer in the history of European club competition with 67 goals as of 2011-03-10, behind Filippo Inzaghi and Raúl. With 175 goals scored with A.C... |
Milan A.C. Milan Associazione Calcio Milan, commonly referred to as A.C. Milan or simply Milan , is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Lombardy, that plays in the Serie A. Milan was founded in 1899 by English lace-maker Herbert Kilpin and businessman Alfred Edwards among others... |
Chelsea Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... |
£37 | €52 | 2006 | £ |
| 11 | Rui Costa Rui Costa Rui Manuel César Costa, OIH is a former Portuguese football player and current Director of Football for Sport Lisboa e Benfica. An attacking midfielder also capable of playing as a deep-seated defensive midfielder, he most recently played for Portuguese club Benfica... |
Fiorentina |
AC Milan |
£30 | €45 | 2001 | £ |
| 12 | Javier Pastore Javier Pastore Javier Matías Pastore is an Argentine footballer who currently plays for Ligue 1 club Paris Saint-Germain and the Argentina national football team as an attacking midfielder.... |
Palermo Palermo Palermo is a city in Southern Italy, the capital of both the autonomous region of Sicily and the Province of Palermo. The city is noted for its history, culture, architecture and gastronomy, playing an important role throughout much of its existence; it is over 2,700 years old... |
Paris St. Germain |
£36.6 | €42 | 2011 2011 in association football The following are the scheduled events of association football for the year 2011 throughout the world.-Men:* January 5 – 17 — 2011 Nile Basin Tournament in Egypt** ** ** ** 4th:... |
£ |
| =13 | Andy Carroll Andy Carroll Andrew Thomas "Andy" Carroll is an English footballer who plays as a striker for Premier League club Liverpool and the England national team.... |
Newcastle United |
Liverpool |
£35 | €40 | 2011 2011 in association football The following are the scheduled events of association football for the year 2011 throughout the world.-Men:* January 5 – 17 — 2011 Nile Basin Tournament in Egypt** ** ** ** 4th:... |
£ |
| =13 | Sergio Agüero Sergio Agüero Sergio Leonel "Kun" Agüero del Castillo is an Argentine footballer who plays as a striker for Manchester City in England's Premier League and the Argentine national team.... |
Atlético Madrid |
Manchester City Manchester City F.C. Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894... |
£35 | €40 | 2011 2011 in association football The following are the scheduled events of association football for the year 2011 throughout the world.-Men:* January 5 – 17 — 2011 Nile Basin Tournament in Egypt** ** ** ** 4th:... |
£ |
| =13 |  Radamel FalcaoRadamel Falcao Radamel Falcao García Zárate , commonly known simply as Falcao, is a Colombian football striker who currently plays for Atlético Madrid.... |
Porto |
Atlético Madrid |
£35 | €40 | 2011 2011 in association football The following are the scheduled events of association football for the year 2011 throughout the world.-Men:* January 5 – 17 — 2011 Nile Basin Tournament in Egypt** ** ** ** 4th:... |
£ |
| =13 | Cesc Fabregas Cesc Fàbregas Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16... |
Arsenal Arsenal F.C. Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups... |
FC Barcelona FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.... |
£35 | €40 | 2011 2011 in association football The following are the scheduled events of association football for the year 2011 throughout the world.-Men:* January 5 – 17 — 2011 Nile Basin Tournament in Egypt** ** ** ** 4th:... |
£ |
For football coaches, the list is as follows:
| Rank | Coach | From | To | Transfer Fee (M Million One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106... £ ) |
Transfer Fee (M Million One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106... € Euro The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,... ) |
Year | (M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | André Villas-Boas |
FC Porto |
Chelsea Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... |
£13.3 | €15 | 2011 2011 in association football The following are the scheduled events of association football for the year 2011 throughout the world.-Men:* January 5 – 17 — 2011 Nile Basin Tournament in Egypt** ** ** ** 4th:... |
£ |
| 2 | José Mourinho José Mourinho José Mário dos Santos Félix Mourinho is a Portuguese football manager and the current manager of Real Madrid. He is commonly known as "The Special One".Mourinho is regarded by some players, coaches and critics as the best ever coach in football.... |
Internazionale |
Real Madrid Real Madrid Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... |
£6.8 | €8 | 2010 | £ |
By club
| Club | Highest transfer fees paid | Transfer Fee (M Million One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106... £) |
Year | Highest transfer fees received | Transfer Fee (M Million One million or one thousand thousand, is the natural number following 999,999 and preceding 1,000,001. The word is derived from the early Italian millione , from mille, "thousand", plus the augmentative suffix -one.In scientific notation, it is written as or just 106... £) |
Year | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United |
 Dimitar BerbatovDimitar Berbatov Dimitar Ivanov Berbatov is a Bulgarian footballer who plays as a forward for Manchester United. He captained the Bulgarian national team from 2006 to 2010, and is its all-time leading goalscorer and has also won the Bulgarian Footballer of the Year a record seven times, surpassing the number of... |
£30.75 | 2008 | Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team... |
£80 | 2009 | |
| FC Barcelona FC Barcelona Futbol Club Barcelona , also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça, is a professional football club, based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.... |
Zlatan Ibrahimović Zlatan Ibrahimovic Zlatan Ibrahimović is a Swedish footballer who plays as a striker for Serie A club Milan and the Swedish national team for which he is captain.... |
£59 | 2009 | Luís Figo Luís Figo Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, OIH, is a Portuguese former international footballer. He played as a midfielder for Sporting CP, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Internazionale, during a career which spanned over a period of 20 years. He retired from football on 31 May 2009... |
£44 | 2000 | |
| Chelsea F.C. Chelsea F.C. Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four... |
Fernando Torres Fernando Torres Fernando José Torres Sanz , nicknamed , is a Spanish footballer who plays for Chelsea and the Spain national team as a striker.... |
£50 | 2011 |  Arjen RobbenArjen Robben Arjen Robben is a Dutch footballer who plays for the German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. Though often classified as a forward, he usually plays behind the forwards as a winger, and he is also known for his dribbling skills... |
£24 | 2007 | |
| Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid C.F. Real Madrid Club de Fútbol , commonly known as Real Madrid, is a professional football club based in Madrid, Spain. The club have won a record 31 La Liga titles, the Primera División of the Liga de Fútbol Profesional , 18 Copas del Rey, 8 Spanish Super Cups, 1 Copa Eva Duarte and 1 Copa de la... |
Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team... |
£80 | 2009 | Robinho Robinho Robson de Souza , more commonly known as Robinho, is a Brazilian professional footballer who currently plays as second striker and winger for Serie A club AC Milan... |
£32.5 | 2008 |
Pre-contracts
A club may sign a pre-contract with a player while he is still with another club, by which the player agrees to move to the club at a future date, for example, after his contract with his current club expires.Another situation may be where the current club is also a party to the pre-contract, and the transfer is conditional, for example, on a fee being agreed between the clubs or terms being agreed between the player and the new club, or the transfer is intended to take effect only after the player reaches a certain age.
The pre-contract is intended to prevent a third club from signing the player while details are still being negotiated or when the future date arrives.
As the player's registration remains with the current club, however, the existence of a pre-contract may be unknown to other clubs who wish to sign the player.
Solidarity contribution
If a professional football player transfers to another club during the course of a contract, 5% of any transfer fee, not including training compensation paid to his former club, shall be deducted from the total amount of this compensation and distributed by the new club as a solidarity contribution to the club(s) involved in his training and education over the years.This solidarity contribution reflects the number of years he was registered with the relevant club(s) between the seasons of his 12th and 23rd birthdays, as follows:
| Season of birthday | % of compensation | % of total fee |
|---|---|---|
| 12th | 5% | 0.25% |
| 13th | 5% | 0.25% |
| 14th | 5% | 0.25% |
| 15th | 5% | 0.25% |
| 16th | 10% | 0.50% |
| 17th | 10% | 0.50% |
| 18th | 10% | 0.50% |
| 19th | 10% | 0.50% |
| 20th | 10% | 0.50% |
| 21st | 10% | 0.50% |
| 22nd | 10% | 0.50% |
| 23rd | 10% | 0.50% |
| Total | 100% | 5% |
Examples
- Stephen AppiahStephen AppiahStephen Leroy Appiah is a former Ghana International football midfielder and captain. He is currently a free agent. He has played for several European clubs since 1997 and is currently without a club. Appiah was a member of the Ghana national team, which he has represented at the youth, Olympic,...
: solidarity contribution was excluded form the agreed €8M price. Fenerbahçe had a obligation to pay former clubs for additional €0.4M. - Vitorino AntunesVitorino AntunesVitorino Gabriel Pacheco Antunes is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a left defender.-Club career:Antunes joined first division club F.C. Paços de Ferreira in 2006–07 on a free transfer from third level side Sport Clube Freamunde, where he began his professional football career...
: €1,500,000 x 5% x (5% x 4seasons + 10% x4 seasons) = €45,000 to Freamunde from Roma - Arjen RobbenArjen RobbenArjen Robben is a Dutch footballer who plays for the German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich. Though often classified as a forward, he usually plays behind the forwards as a winger, and he is also known for his dribbling skills...
: €500,000 to Groningen from Bayern Munich - RobinhoRobinhoRobson de Souza , more commonly known as Robinho, is a Brazilian professional footballer who currently plays as second striker and winger for Serie A club AC Milan...
: €1.805 million to Santos from Manchester City
Transfer of Veigar Páll Gunnarsson
The "Gunnarsson transfer" in 2011, was constructed so that the contract of Veigar Páll GunnarssonVeigar Páll Gunnarsson
Veigar Páll Gunnarsson is an Icelandic football striker who plays for the Norwegian club Vålerenga.The Gunnarsson transfer in 2011, was a football transfer that led to football clubs Stabæk and Vålerenga to be nominated for fines of Norwegian kroner 500,000 and 350,000 respectively, by a committee...
was sold to Vålerenga Fotball
Vålerenga
Vålerenga is a neighbourhood in the city of Oslo, Norway, belonging to the borough of Gamle Oslo. Vålerenga is located between the neighbourhoods of Gamlebyen, Jordal, Ensjø, Etterstad and Lodalen. Vålerenga is in particular known for its traditional, small wooden houses, and for its football and...
, for a reduced rate (Norwegian kroner one million) so that AS Nancy
AS Nancy
Association Sportive Nancy-Lorraine is a French association football club based in Nancy. The club was founded in 1967 and currently play in Ligue 1, the top level of French football. Nancy plays its home matches at the Stade Marcel Picot in Tomblaine, a commune located in the Arrondissement of...
would be swindled out of part of their fees resulting from the transfer.
See also
- Progression of football transfer fee recordWorld football transfer recordThis is a list of the progression of the world association football transfer record when measured in British pounds.-See also:*Highest transfer fees*Progression of British football transfer fee record-Notes:...
- Co-ownership (football)Co-ownership (football)Co-ownership is a system whereby two football clubs own the contract of a player jointly, although the player is only registered to play for one club...
- Cup-tiedCup-tiedCup-tied is an adjective, used primarily in association football, to describe a player who is ineligible to play in a knockout cup competition after transferring from another club during that competition.-Application:...
- Third-party ownership in association footballThird-party ownership in association footballThird-party ownership in association football is the ownership of a player's economic rights by third-party sources, such as football agents, sports-management agencies, or other investors...
- Trade (sports)Trade (sports)In professional sports, a trade is a sports league transaction involving an exchange of players' contracts or draft picks between teams. Cash is another commodity that may be packaged together with contracts or draft picks to complete a trade...
- Loan (sports)
- Retain and transfer systemRetain and transfer systemThe retain and transfer system was a restriction that existed in England from 1893 until 1963 on the freedom of professional association football players to transfer from one Football League club to another...
External links
- Transfer regulations of FIFAFIFAThe Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
(PDF) - The anatomy of a transfer deal by BBC Sport