Random Question on International transfers

Real Corona · Mar 15, 2011

Just curious if anybody can answer this question.

If a player under the age of 18 is owned by a club in his country, can he be loaned out to a foreign club and play even if he is under 18.

In other words, if for example Omar Salgado was playing for Seattle, would he be able to go out on loan to a European club?

Kool Herc · Mar 15, 2011

Real Corona said: ↑

Just curious if anybody can answer this question.

If a player under the age of 18 is owned by a club in his country, can he be loaned out to a foreign club and play even if he is under 18.

In other words, if for example Omar Salgado was playing for Seattle, would he be able to go out on loan to a European club?
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No I don't think the rule allows for any player movement, sale or loan. I'd imagine the loophole on a Salgado loan is that he would be going on loan to his own country.

Real Corona · Mar 15, 2011

Kool Herc said: ↑

No I don't think the rule allows for any player movement, sale or loan. I'd imagine the loophole on a Salgado loan is that he would be going on loan to his own country.
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I just used Salgado as an example because he is under 18. His situation is really unique and not really what I was asking about. I was just having a discussion with someone and was explaining to them that players can't leave their home country until they are 18. He asked if they could be loaned out to another country, and I didn't know the answer.

UKscouts · Mar 16, 2011

Any player who has signed a professional contract can be loaned.

Kool Herc · Mar 16, 2011

Real Corona said: ↑

I just used Salgado as an example because he is under 18. His situation is really unique and not really what I was asking about. I was just having a discussion with someone and was explaining to them that players can't leave their home country until they are 18. He asked if they could be loaned out to another country, and I didn't know the answer.
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As I said, I believe the answer is no.

19 Protection of minors

1. International transfers of players are only permitted if the player is over the age of 18.
2. The following three exceptions to this rule apply:
a) The player’s parents move to the country in which the new club is
located for reasons not linked to football.
b) The transfer takes place within the territory of the European Union
(EU) or European Economic Area (EEA) and the player is aged between
16 and 18. In this case, the new club must fulfil the following minimum
obligations:
i. It shall provide the player with an adequate football education and/or training in line with the highest national standards.
ii. It shall guarantee the player an academic and/or school and/or vocational education and/or training, in addition to his football education and/or training, which will allow the player to pursue a career other than football should he cease playing professional football.
iii. It shall make all necessary arrangements to ensure that the player is looked after in the best possible way (optimum living standards with a host family or in club accommodation, appointment of a mentor at the club, etc.).
iv. It shall, on registration of such a player, provide the relevant association with proof that it is complying with the aforementioned obligations;
c) The player lives no further than 50km from a national border and the
club with which the player wishes to be registered in the neighbouring association is also within 50km of that border. The maximum distance between the player’s domicile and the club’s headquarters shall be 100km.
In such cases, the player must continue to live at home and the two associations concerned must give their explicit consent.
3. The conditions of this article shall also apply to any player who has never previously been registered with a club and is not a national of the country in which he wishes to be registered for the first time.
4. Every international transfer according to paragraph 2 and every first registration according to paragraph 3 is subject to the approval of the subcommittee appointed by the Players’ Status Committee for that purpose. The application for approval shall be submitted by the association that wishes to register the player. The former association shall be given the opportunity to submit its position. The sub-committee’s approval shall be obtained prior to any request from an association for an International Transfer Certificate and/or a first registration. Any violations of this provision will be sanctioned by the Disciplinary Committee in accordance with the FIFA Disciplinary Code. In addition to the association that failed to apply to the sub-committee, sanctions may also be imposed on the former association for issuing an International Transfer Certificate without the approval of the sub-committee, as well as on the clubs that reached an agreement for the transfer of a minor.
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/aff.../01/27/64/30/statusandtransfereinhalt2010.pdf
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sidefootsitter · Mar 16, 2011

No.

Not until the player is 18.

arsenalfc08 · Mar 16, 2011

I think it would depend on the country. If the kid has an EU passport then he could move.

Example. A kid, 17, plays in England (has a british passport) and is loaned to Belgium to get playing time.

It works because he has an EU passport and he is granted free movement at the age of 16. This is why Arsenal could buy Cesc Fabregas and bring him to England at 16. Also English clubs can offer players contracts at 17, and players can sign pre-contracts that take affect on their 17th birthday. I believe Arsenal offered Cesc a pre-contract and he accepted. In Spain I believe players are not allowed to sign pro deals until they are 18.

If Salgado played for Seattle and was loaned to an MLS or USL club that plays in the USA then he could play if he was under 18. Luis Gil went on loan to St. Louis and played he was and still is under 18.

However, Salgado can not play for an international club (this includes Vancouver) until he turns 18. It would be considered an international transfer.

soccerdisciple · Mar 17, 2011

SAW THIS IN IVES...The Union has completed the signing of midfielder Gabriel Farfan, twin brother of Union draft pick Michael Farfan, sources told SBI on Thursday.
Farfan joins the Union via free transfer from Mexican side Club America, where he spent the past two years on the books. A former member of the U.S. Under-17 national team, Farfan has been used as a left back while part of the Union's training camp squad, and is expected to push incumbent left back Jordan Harvey for the starting role...)