In today's football world, the numbers on the contract are not simply about salaries and transfer fees. Now, release terms - once a strange taste - have become an indispensable part of blockbuster contracts. And they are increasingly complex and sophisticated to the point that fans often do not have time to understand that the player is ultimately free or tied up.
Let's start with the case of Alexander Isak at Newcastle United. In the summer of 2022, the Swedish striker signed a 6-year contract worth 63 million pounds - a record for the English Northeast club. But no one knows if that contract has release terms, and if so, how much. There is even a theory that the clause may have expired and not be activated. Or it is only effective when... the full moon is. Although it is a joke, it reflects reality: The release clause is no longer simple as "aution X million, buy Y player".
From Spanish labor law to Neymar 200 million pounds
In Spain, the buy-out clause is mandatory under labor law. That is, each player has the right to "buy back" his own contract to move to another club. The number of buyers is often unimaginably high, for example, 1 billion Euros for Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham, or most of the top stars of Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Neymar's departure from Barca to PSG in 2017 is a classic example. PSG transferred money to Neymar, and his lawyer himself went to Barcelona to pay... 200 million pounds in cash. That is the only way to break the contract under Spanish law.
The releasedase clause is popular in the rest of Europe, which is different. When a club pays the full fee, players are allowed to negotiate and have the right to consider leaving, but not mandatory. It is like a key to opening the door to negotiations, not a one-way ticket.
Contract card game: Who wins, who loses?
In 2023, Chelsea seemed certain to have Michael Olise when activating the £35 million clause. But Olise decided to stay at Crystal Palace, sign a new contract, raising his release clause to £60 million. A year later, Bayern Munich paid the right amount and took Olise to Germany. This case shows that the release clause is just a step in a strategic game between players, agents and clubs.
But sometimes, the game turns into a spectacular scam. In the summer of 2013, Arsenal shocked Luis Suarez with a £40 million + £1 offer, claiming to have met the milestone set in the release clause of £40 million. Liverpool, of course, refused because they were " Out of place". Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger accused him of receiving bad advice. Suarez stayed, scoring 31 goals in the Premier League last season and then moved to Barcelona for £75 million.
On the other hand, Newcastle have hit their own foot when they included a release clause of just £7.5 million in Demba Ba's contract in 2011. Why? Worried about injuries and paying wages according to the match. Results: Ba scored 13 goals in 20 matches at the beginning of the 2012 - 2013 season, Chelsea immediately paid him and took him to London.
Nowadays, clubs are too aware of this risk. All major contracts come with release terms with sophisticated "locktops". In the summer of 2025, Arsenal bought Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP for 63 million Euros, much lower than the 100 million Euro clause. Liverpool paid less than the terms that Hugo Ekititike had at Eintracht Frankfurt (a contract believed to be around £79 million, including add-ons).
Benjamin Sesko has signed a new contract with RB Leipzig but kept a underground agreement allowing him to leave when he accepted a suitable offer - and go to Manchester United for 76.5 million Euros.
When relegated, it is also an opportunity to... leave
The clearance provisions associated with relegation have become a practice. It both protects players and helps the team reduce salary funds if they leave the Premier League. Liam Delap's case at Ipswich Town shows the most obvious example: The club has a £30 million clause if relegated. When that became a reality, Delap went to Chelsea in a few weeks for £20 million, paying in installments.
Matheus Cunha was also skillful in negotiating when signing with Wolves in February 2024, including a £62.5 million clause, allowing him to stay and help the team stay in the league while still being able to leave in the summer. Man United agreed to pay that amount, divided into 3 installments.
Sometimes, clubs pay more than the terms. United bought Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna for a realistic fee of £36.5 million - 34 million higher than the terms - to reduce the price and avoid violating the financial regulations (PSR). This shows that the release clause is not only a "floor price", but also a flexible financial tool.
Many types of terms
Today, the release clause is no longer one price for all. Joe Allen has had a clause allowing him to join one of five clubs, including Liverpool, for £15 million. Eberechi Eze at Crystal Palace had a £68 million clause but it expired before Arsenal moved in; however, Palace still sold at the same price.
Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes also has a £100 million clause, but it will only be valid until June 30, 2024, for accounting purposes. We dont want his story to be speculation all year, said coach Eddie Howe.
In particular, the clause is sometimes directly associated with the head coach. When Erling Haaland signed for Man City in 2022, he had a " way out" of 200 million Euros for clubs outside the Premier League, and a clause related to Pep Guardiola's future. When Pep extended the contract at the end of 2022, that clause was immediately canceled.
Secrets and the information race
The nature of the contract is a secret. The club rarely make public the release clause. Spurs were in a storm when they learned about Morgan Gibbs-White's £60 million clause at Nottingham Forest and paid the correct amount. Forest was angry, saying Spurs had taken an illegal approach and did not fully meet the conditions in the terms.
An unnamed representative revealed: "Now the release clause is much more popular. Teams don't like it, but young players want it. A five-year contract, even an eight- to nine-year contract at Chelsea, has left players looking for a way out. Many terms are so complicated that it is difficult for the person involved to track them.
The strangest example is probably Mohammed Kudus at West Ham: 3 fees for 3 markets - 85 million pounds for the Premier League, 80 million for clubs in Europe, 120 million for any club in Saudi Arabia that wants him. In the summer of 2025, Kudus went to Tottenham for only 55 million. Maybe Spurs have their own "wsing".
Exit gate becomes a strategic tool
When football enters the era of 8-year contracts and tighten financial laws, release terms are no longer a simple "exit point" but become a strategic weapon. Players, agents, and clubs all take advantage to balance their rights: Players want to go out, the team wants to control the value, and brokers turn it into a card.
The complexity of the transfer market reflects a reality: Football is not just a game on the field, but also an underground match at the negotiation table. And in this game, the release clause has gone from a secondary detail to a focal point, sometimes deciding both the fate of the club and the player's career.
