29 Jul 2025 10:31:54
Reports that we’ve agreed personal terms with Isak got me wondering.
I always thought we had to agree a fee with a club before talking to the player. But it seems like every deal now it happens the other way around. Could someone explain what’s happened or am I misunderstanding it? I always thought that was considered tapping up.
29 Jul 2025 11:23:56
Can't talk to the player, but can talk to the players agent.
Agent agrees contract on behalf of the their client.
Club know the player is serious about being willing to join as a result and can then launch official proceedings with the club.
I, like you, think this is just tapping up but with a middleman. Apparently it is allowed and the norm now days, hence deals seem to fly through once a fee is agreed as everything else is kind of in place.
Not ITK in any way just my take from what has been taught on here previously.
29 Jul 2025 12:40:19
If a player is up for sale or wants a move away, the club may allow and give permissions for conversations and negotiations to happen between the buying club and the player while the clubs simultaneously negotiate for a transfer fee for the said player. It doesn't necessarily have to be tapping up.
29 Jul 2025 13:04:24
I don't see how it's tapping up if an authorized middle man is used? And it's not just players who use them, but clubs do it too to find players. What's the agent or middle man's job if it's not to find employers or employees for a player or club?
29 Jul 2025 13:32:06
Ed002 said clubs talk to agents all the time to gauge interest.
29 Jul 2025 13:33:10
Basically contact is made with an agent to gauge interest and if interested, what kinda a deal they would be looking for. Depending on this, an offer will be made to the selling. Who will grant permission to talk to the player. Player and agent then speak to the buying club.
Its not tapping up in the slightest, as if this didn't occur how would you know the player is willing to join and its worth the effort of going through the transfer process.
I have some knowledge around this stuff because of my field of work.
29 Jul 2025 13:39:06
Drac is correct.
You can talk to any player with the permission of their club. You don’t have to agree a fee, you just need permission.
Equally you can talk to any agent at any time.
29 Jul 2025 13:50:37
I think its mad that clubs can't speak to players but agents can . its more or less the same thing . agent represents the player and does all his bidding anyway . stupid rule.
29 Jul 2025 14:18:48
I read that Eintracht Frankfurt were not happy at all with Newcastle for putting an offer in for Ekitike, when they had not followed protocol and agreed a contract with the player first. ( even though he would have said no ). And they found this very unprofessional.
29 Jul 2025 14:43:34
Appreciate the responses guys.
29 Jul 2025 15:12:58
I personally just find it counter intuitive fields to be honest.
You can't speak to the player himself but everything you'd say to him you can say to the agent who will then pass it back. The player may as well be in the room at that point.
The Isak situation for example, i can fully understand why Newcastle would be a bit miffed.
The same way we were miffed that clearly Trent's head had been turned.
Is it something which has changed over time and been better understood what can and cannot be done or has it always been the case.
It seems to be a lot more common place now than it ever used to be.