10 Jul 2024 21:30:49
Apparently there is no such thing as a stupid question, let me try… I am seeing links saying that clubs have already agreed personal terms with a player without even making a bid or having a bid accepted by the players club, how is this aloud? Is this not “tapping up”? Or are these just inaccurate?
10 Jul 2024 22:07:10
It's not a stupid question but it's certainly a redundant question because it's been asked hundreds of times. Teams can talk to the player's agents anytime they want (so maybe that's where the info gets leaked out) but no transfer can happen without a buying club talking and agreeing with the club who holds the player's contract.
10 Jul 2024 22:55:51
Bear in mind that the media can also be simplifying things or just outright lying.
When they say "Man U have agreed personal terms with Leon Pohls ahead of a £300m bid" or whatever, the reality might be that they've only agreed an outline of the deal with his agent, which is legal. Or they might not be talking to the player or his reps at all.
10 Jul 2024 23:32:15
Not a stupid question at all, my guy. A player can agree personal terms with up to two to 3 clubs in one go (via his agent and the desitnation clubs) BUT until a fee can be agreed btw both his club and the prospective club or even clubs, a deal cannot be done officially where if there is more than one club then the player can pick, as I understand it.
Look at Raphinha then of Leeds. He agreed personal terms with his agent with Chelsea and Barca. in fact, Chelsea agreed a deal with Leeds but if memory serves me well, he refused to go to Chelsea cos he was waiting for a deal to be done btw Leeds and Barca. Once that was done and, he was off to Barca. That's how I understand the process hence, all is legal here.
10 Jul 2024 21:45:42
That’s why you have an agent!
10 Jul 2024 23:23:51
Sorry that’s me being lazy and not searching - thank you I appreciate it - so you can talk to the agent at anytime but not the player! Follow on question, it might not be relevant this day and age but I’m sure Roy Keane was saying on the overlap that he negotiated his own contract back in the day, if a player doesn’t have an agent or family members are acting as agents are they just a don’t approach without agreeing with the club first?
11 Jul 2024 10:15:21
I don't know for a fact, but I would imagine that tapping up (speaking to the player directly without their current club's permission) would have been more prevalent in the past, especially in Roy's day, but with the growth in agent representation in the last 20-30 years it has probably been stamped down on and is certainly against the rules now.
However, I certainly can't see it going away completely - players chatting to each other "come to Liverpool mate" etc. So I'd imagine it still exists informally and always will - we're all humans!
{Ed002's Note - It is not to do with players, it is to do with clubs and their staff making illegal approaches to players.}
11 Jul 2024 10:24:51
That's a good question sofa. I believe all professional players must have a representative, dunno if that means an agent or just a nominated person, who is technically responsible for negotiating contracts etc. I dunno about youth players, I think they used to not need an agent, but that's probably changed these days considering the number of clubs trading youth players these days.
I could be completely wrong, but that's my understanding of it.
11 Jul 2024 16:04:50
Indeed, Ed02.