The Transfer Window: What You Need to Know

The below questions and answers were first published on the Secret Footballer website here.

Are sports lawyers heavily involved in the transfer window?

As deals get more complex, more valuable and with a variety of parties involved, many clubs believe it is imperative to have legal input. This may be in relation to assisting the drafting of the transfer agreement, the employment contract, the image rights deal and other associated documentation.

The administrative burden in requiring international clearance from Fifa, registering the player with the Football Association and the Premier League/Football League is also a major part of a transfer. Simply put: if a company is spending millions of pounds on a particular asset, it is clear that lawyers should be ensuring the transaction is in the best interests of their client and drafted accordingly.