Five stars with bargain release clauses
Carlo Garganese
- 1 Mar 2022 15:03 GMT
- 4 min read
We are now in March and many of Europe’s biggest clubs have already started their preparations for the summer transfer window.
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There is an unprecedented number of top-class players available for nothing as their contracts expire at the end of the season.
READ MORE: Out of contract in 2022: The best free agents available on a Bosman
There are also a huge number of elite players who will be available at much-reduced prices as their deals expire in 2023.
READ MORE: Out of contract in 2023: The best free agents available on a Bosman
In addition to that, clubs will also be looking to take advantage of players who have minimum fee release clauses in their contracts.
Below are five players with bargain release clauses in their deals.
Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
Erling Haaland is arguably the hottest young property in Europe after an incredible two years at Borussia Dortmund.
Dortmund resisted all interest in Haaland in the summer of 2021 but it is widely expected that the attacker will move on at the end of the 2021-22 campaign when a release clause believed to be around €75 million will be activated in his contract.
Virtually every top club in Europe is interested in signing the 21-year-old, including Manchester United, Bayern Munich, PSG, Barcelona and Chelsea.
It is Real Madrid and Manchester City who are understood, though, to be the favourites to sign the 21-year-old.
Gavi (Barcelona)
The 17-year-old has emerged as one of Europe’s most exciting young players after exploding onto the scene at the start of this season.
However, there has been concern among some Barcelona fans that Gavi could be poached by big European clubs because he has a minimum fee release clause of just €50m.
Barcelona have been working on extending Gavi’s deal but have so far had little luck in prolonging a contract that expires in 2023.
Many of Europe’s biggest clubs are watching on, including Real Madrid and Chelsea.
Raphinha (Leeds)
Raphinha has two release clauses in his Leeds contract, FootballTransfers’ Gianluigi Longari understands.
He currently has a minimum fee release clause of €75m. However, if Leeds are relegated to the Championship, his release clause fee will drop to €25m.
Chelsea are leading the race to sign him and have made him their priority summer target – although it remains to be seen how the war between Russia and Ukraine will effect things now given the presence of Roman Abramovich.
Barcelona are also interested, as are Arsenal.
Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus)
Matthijs de Ligt is arguably the best young defender in Europe and has been tipped by many to go on and become the world’s number one stopper outright in the coming years.
He signed for Juventus in the summer of 2019 and a clause was inserted in his contract that means a €120m release fee clause will be activated from the summer. This may sound a lot but the buying party would be buying a 22-year-old who could be the best in his position for a decade.
A number of Europe’s top clubs are interested in signing De Ligt – particularly Barcelona and Chelsea – and his agent Mino Raiola remarked a few months ago that his client is ready for the “next step up” this summer.
With his contract expiring in 2024, Juventus know that this summer will be key to either renew his deal or start to think about selling.
Yeremi Pino (Villarreal)
Yeremi Pino is just the latest teenage sensation to emerge from Spain.
He hit the headlines at the weekend when he scored four goals for Villarreal in their 5-1 win over Espanyol.
The outside forward had a release clause of just €35m last summer but this has since been raised to €80m.
Given the player’s talent, this still represents a bargain for Europe’s biggest clubs and both Real Madrid and Barcelona are reported to be battling it out to buy him.
