Players can leave for free at contract end. EU labor law since 1995. Named after Jean-Marc Bosman.
Definition: Players can leave for free at contract end. EU labor law since 1995. Named after Jean-Marc Bosman.
Belgian player Jean-Marc Bosman successfully sued in 1995, establishing EU labor law: when a player's contract expires, they can leave for free. Before this, clubs charged transfer fees even for out-of-contract players. The Bosman ruling shifted power to players and agents. Famous free transfers: Lewandowski to Bayern, Mbappé to Real Madrid (2024).