Fifa regulations, adopted by France, limit the contracts of professional players to a maximum of five years. But longer durations are authorized if a country allows it, as in England, where Erling Haaland extended it for almost ten years.
This is unheard of in Europe. Even at Chelsea. Manchester City and Erling Haaland announced on Friday January 17 that they had concluded a new contract lasting almost ten years. The two parties are now linked until June 2034, while the first commitment was valid until summer 2027.
In France, such a signature would be impossible. For professional football, the French sports code specifies that fixed-term contracts (specific fixed-term contracts) cannot last more than five years. The minimum is 12 months in principle, but an exception is allowed when the signing takes place during the season.
Why five years? This is the limit set by Fifa in article 18 of its Regulations on the status and transfer of players: “A contract is established for a minimum duration ranging from the date of its entry into force until the end of the season and for a maximum period of five years. For the first professional contracts of players under 18, the limit is set at three years.
No limit on the contract, only on amortization
But then how can Manchester City and Erling Haaland sign for ten years? The scenario is provided for by Fifa: “Contracts of a different duration are only authorized if they comply with national law in force”. Precisely, British legislation does not set a limit in this area. “The Premier League regulations expressly provide that a player contract can be concluded for any duration,” also specified a specialist to The Athletic.
-This lack of restriction should not be confused with the recent tightening of the screws (without retroactivity) by authorities on taking into account the duration of contracts for accounting depreciation. In 2023, UEFA and the Premier League announced that the limit on the duration of amortizations would be five years, including if the contract concerned is longer.
The previous regulations had allowed Chelsea to remain within the framework of European and English financial fair play systems, despite the heavy investments made by American owner Todd Boehly. This is how the 70 million euro transfer of Mykhaïlo Mudryk only represents around 8 million euros per year in the London club's accounts while it would be 14 million for five years with the new rules.
Without this depreciation scheme, signing a new player for extra-long periods is less interesting. But in the case of Erling Haaland, the stakes are elsewhere for Manchester City, which puts away all the clubs potentially interested in the Norwegian serial scorer.
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