The UEFA executive committee has voted in favor of a change in the transfer window fees that will block football clubs from spending huge amounts of money on players and paying them across their contract years.
UEFA released a statement describing the change as an important amendment.
UEFA said, “The amortization of the player registration will be limited to five years in order to ensure equal treatment of all clubs and improve financial sustainability.”
In the case of a contract extension, the amortization can be spread over the extended contract period but up to a maximum of five years from the date of the extension.
“Such a change will not restrict the way in which the clubs operate, and it will not apply retroactively to transfer operations that have already taken place.”
This summer, clubs will need to pay the fees within five years when a deal is being struck. However, players are allowed to sign a longer contract with clubs.
The governing body has made this decision after watching Chelsea spend more than £600 million across the previous two transfer windows.
Chelsea signed players to deals of seven to eight years, which allows them to make payments thinly.
Since the commencement of the 2022 Summer window, Chelsea have signed 10 different players, with their contracts lasting for six to seven years.
Wesley Fofana’s contract was for seven years; Benoit Badiashile, Malo Gusto, and Noni Madueke for seven and a half.
Enzo Fernandez and Mykhaylo Mudrik had an eight-and-a half-year contract.
On June 24, 2023, Chelsea announced the signing of French forward Christopher Nkunku from RB Leipzig on a six-year contract for a fee of 52 million.
But instead of paying the German giant £8.6 million a year until 2028, they will cough up £10.4 million until 2027.
The UEFA has also clarified that clubs must assess whether a player is moving in a swap deal to dissuade.
UEFA said “transfer operations take place with the sole intent to artificially inflate transfer profit rather than for sporting purposes.”
It is now required that club auditors confirm the correct application of the described accounting requirement.
Meanwhile, it was reported that the executive committee said that the titles won by the newest club in all the UEFA competitions will lose their Europa affixation and will be shortened to the tournament they lifted.
UEFA Picks a Bigger Stadium for the European Conference League Finals
For the 2024 European Conference League, the final will be played in the new AEK Athens Stadium, which can hold 30,000 fans.
For the 2025 Conference League finals, it will be played in Slask Wroclaw’s stadium, which can accommodate 41,000 fans.
What do you think about the new UEFA rules on transfer fees? Air your views in the comments section.
