UEFA plans to implement changes to third party player ownership

Marcos Rojo’s transfer to Manchester United involved disputes over third party rights

UEFA plans to imlement some new rules with respect to the ownership of a player's economic rights by third-party sources. The effectuation of new rules is expected as early as next season, with the offender eventually facing the possibility of tranfers bans or exclusion from the highly prestigious Champions League.

A new working group was set up by FIFA to address the issue, with representatives from Brazil, England and Portugal, explaining the applicable approaches regarding investment in players’ economic rights, both at the level of sporting regulations as well as national laws.

This was followed by an exchange of views on possible options aimed at addressing third-party ownership at worldwide level. The options discussed ranged from transparency measures, to establishing specific requirements and limitations in terms of quality and quantity, to a complete prohibition of third-party ownership.

UEFA says European football transfers amounted to €3 billion last summer, and of that, 30% or €900 million, was paid to agents.Uefa general secretary, Gianni Infantino, has told that if Fifa fails to act then Uefa will take its own steps.

“It threatens the integrity of sporting competition, it damages contractual stability, it undermines the relationship of trust that should exist between a player and the club that employs him, it creates conflicts of interests, it means that players have less control over the development of their own careers, it keeps clubs in a vicious cycle of debt and dependence and damages the overall image of football,” he said.