International Leagues

FIFA loan rules: Which teams will be affected by this rule?

By Hector Garcia

There are new rules for the transfer of players drawn up by FIFA, which aim to promote competitive balance.

There are new rules for the transfer of players drawn up by FIFA, which aim to promote competitive balance.

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FIFA, soccer's highest ruling body, presented its new regulations on the loan of international players with the aim of "developing young players, promoting competitive balance and avoiding the hoarding or accumulation of players," the organization said in a press release.

To begin with, it will be necessary to sign an agreement to define all the terms of the assignments, especially the time and economic conditions. There will be a minimum duration for the assignment, which will be the interval between two enrollment periods, and a maximum of one year.

In addition, the new regulations prohibit the transfer of players already on loan to a third club and limit the number of transfers per season between two clubs to three players, both on and off loan.

In the same way, each club will have a maximum number of transfers per season, which will decrease as the seasons’ progress:

"From July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023, a club may loan a maximum of eight professionals and include eight professionals on loan at any time during a season" (maximum three players with the same club), FIFA clarified. However, there will be seven players for the 2023-24 season and six from the 2024-25 season onwards.

FIFA's intention is for the rules to come into application next July 1, 2022, after the pandemic generated by covid-19 caused the delay in the implementation of a regulation that is part of the general reform of the transfer system that the institution began in 2017.

Some teams will be forced to reduce their loans

In certain European teams, player loans have proven to be good business. For example, in England, Chelsea and Manchester City operate this type of policy to develop players and then sell them or bring them up to the first team, while in Italy, Genoa and Atalanta also do this.

Chelsea

Chelsea currently have nine senior players on loan, including 31-year-old Danny Drinkwater. Michy Batshuayi and Tiemoue Bakayoko, signed for a combined £77 million, are also still active, but playing for Besiktas and AC Milan, respectively.

Of those on loan from Chelsea, Ethan Ampadu and Billy Gilmour are 21 and under, but Jake Clarke-Salter and Drinkwater count as having trained at the club.

Manchester City

Manchester City, meanwhile, have 14 players on loan, with Issa Kabore, Ante Palaversa and Diego Rosa all 21 and under, and Patrick Roberts, who is considered to be from the youth academy.

Atalanta

Serie A side Atlanta have been hit by FIFA's new loan limits. Incredibly enough, they have 63 players on loan during the current 2021-22 season, according to Transfermarkt.

Genoa 

Genoa, which currently have 37 players on loan, have always played the role of provider for temporary or permanent signings, mostly to the top 3 Italian Serie A clubs.

 


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