The Athletic FC Podcast Anatomy of a Transfer: Your Questions Answered
Feb 1, 2026
Simon Leaf and Tom Murray, co-founders of Three Points Law and sports lawyers who handle transfer legalities. They unpack why transfer fees exist, how sell-on clauses and payment schedules work, and the strange world of exotic contract terms. Short, sharp and full of legal colour on confidentiality, loans with options and how clubs navigate bargain power.
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Negotiate Sell-On And Payment Timing
- When negotiating sell-on clauses, expect terms to follow bargaining power and urgency.
- Selling clubs should insist on quick payments and can seek staged payments for very large sums.
Weird Contract Clauses Exist
- Clubs sometimes include unusual clauses, from language lessons to rival-blocking release terms.
- Tom Murray recounts finding an Arabic contract clause forcing a player to repay money for a left-knee injury, which scuppered the deal.
Why Fees Are Sometimes Undisclosed
- Clubs decide whether to disclose transfer fees; public firms face greater disclosure duties.
- Confidentiality clauses and negotiated leaks often shape what the market learns about fees.