Football transfer market glossary

The period set by each federation in which clubs can register players. There is usually a longer window in mid-year and a shorter one at the start of the year, but dates and rules vary by country. Outside the windows, generally only free agents can be registered.

An athlete with no contract with any club, who can sign without a transfer fee. For the agent it is an opportunity, because the commission comes from salary and there is no fee to pay to the former club.

An agreement signed with a new club while the current contract is still running, to take effect when it ends. It is generally allowed in the final months of a contract (FIFA’s rule speaks of six months), and the current club can lose the player without receiving any fee.

An amount set in the contract that, if paid, lets the player leave without negotiating with the club. It is common in Spanish football and some other markets, and its use depends on each country’s law and regulations.

A clause under which the selling club receives a share of the value of the player’s future transfer. It is common when young prospects are sold and must be clear in the transfer contract.

A temporary transfer of a player to another club, with or without an option to buy. The contract with the parent club continues, and salary, duration and loan limits depend on the agreement and the regulations.

In a loan, an option to buy gives the receiving club the right, but not the duty, to buy the player at an agreed price. With an obligation to buy, the purchase becomes mandatory once a condition is met, such as a number of appearances.

The amount one club pays another to sign a player who is still under contract. It can be fixed or paid in instalments with performance bonuses, and it is one of the values on which an agent’s commission can be calculated.

The agent’s pay, generally a percentage of the player’s salary or of the transfer fee, paid by the player or the club depending on the agreement. The amount, the basis of calculation and the payer must be in writing.

A written agreement between the agent and the player (or the club) setting out term, services, commission and termination. Regulations limit its length and require it to be registered and clear about who pays the agent.

A document required in many countries for a foreign player to play. Some leagues tie the permit to criteria such as national-team appearances or the level of the previous club, so assessing the case is part of the agent’s work.

A 1995 ruling by the Court of Justice of the European Union, which held that out-of-contract players may move to another EU club without a transfer fee and that there can be no limit on EU players in a team. It is the origin of the free-agent market as we know it.

A share of the value of an international transfer that is distributed to the clubs that trained the player, generally between the ages of 12 and 23. FIFA sets the percentage and the method of calculation, so check the regulations in force.

An amount owed to the club that trained a young player when he signs his first professional contract with another club or is transferred up to a certain age. The calculation follows FIFA’s regulations and the category of the training club.

A situation in which someone who is neither a club nor the player holds part of an athlete’s economic rights. FIFA has banned this since 2015, and funds that offer to buy a share of players are a legal risk zone.

A player who spent years in the youth system of the club or the local federation before a certain age. Some leagues require a minimum number of such players in the first-team squad, which influences signings.