A transformation of the transfer market is taking place. We advise on and coordinate all aspects of release clauses that will feature in Future players’ contracts.
ReleaseConsult has brought together a network of leading football service providers, including more than 35 top European sports lawyers, football financial specialists, valuation experts, performance analysts and accounting professionals working across 25 jurisdictions, to respond collectively to the market shift resulting from the Diarra case.
SERVICES
LEGAL
Appropriate release clauses can only
deliver their required effectiveness
when built on solid legal foundations.
Our standard clauses are drafted by highly qualified and specialised law firms with international and domestic experience. The clauses are fully compliant with FIFA, UEFA, and domestic regulations and are tailored to the needs of clubs.
By standardising the key elements such as player options,
buy-backs, add-ons and sell-ons, we ensure the clauses are enforceable, flexible and readily understandable.
This legal clarity protects all parties while maximising both the sporting and the financial outcomes.
Financing
Financing has not been
a standard component where release
clauses feature but, it should be.
Structured, pre-arranged funding (between selling and buying club) reflecting the terms of an underlying release clause is separated from the transfer fee resulting in a faster and more straightforward execution process.
The availability of Pre-Approved Discounting ensures immediate liquidity for the selling club and cost effective pricing and payment schedules that are attractive to the buying club. As a result, a more efficient transfer market overall. This approach to integrate financing turns the use of release clauses into a practical and sustainable tool at every level of the game.
Player
Pathways
Specific customised release clauses
are the cornerstone of a structured
player development program.
By negotiating appropriate clauses at the outset, clubs and players can create predefined career pathways that align sporting ambition with financial sustainability.
The approach strengthens recruitment strategies, provides sustainable career pathways for players, reduces capital risk and allows all parties, from smaller clubs to those in the top-tier, to share in both sporting success and the financial upside. The use of release clauses thus becomes a driver of long-term talent development and the creation of fair value across the football pyramid.
Predicted Valuation
To negotiate relevant release clauses,
clubs and players need access to
accurate, smart data.
Our valuation model, developed by Off The Pitch, benchmarks fair transfer values, predicts future development and calibrates add-ons and sell-ons accordingly.
This ensures that the underlying release clauses reflect both today’s market alongside the player’s potential and value to each subsequent buyer. The result is fairer transfer fees, more robust balance sheets and release clauses that function as flexible, club-controlled mechanisms.
Purpose
Developed from the desire to incorporate meaningful, customised release clauses into contracts that reflect the specific needs of each situation, this has now become a necessity after the landmark Diarra case. Appropriate release clauses are likely to be the only way to secure transfer compensation in the future and provide stability in contractual relationships.
We provide the expertise and framework to make the use of specific release clauses a standard in modern football. We advise, structure, and deliver practical solutions for clubs and players. Our independent status ensures transparency and that interests are aligned across all stakeholders.
meet our team
VIDAR FOSSDAL
vidar@releaseconsult.com
DR. JOSEF WELZMÜLLER
josef@releaseconsult.com
MICHAEL ROCHE
michael@releaseconsult.com
HEINRICH VOSLOO
heinrich@releaseconsult.com
GEORG PANGL
georg@releaseconsult.com
ANDREW GENT
andrew@releaseconsult.com
CLIFF PEARCE
cpearce@vg.je
SCORETECHNOLOGIES