Grapevine

EU court judgment in Lassana Diarra’s case sparks transfer uncertainty

In a highly anticipated verdict, the judges determined that current FIFA rules, by restricting a footballer’s ability to seek new employment, impede the EU’s principles of free movement and competition between clubs.

“The court holds that all of these rules are contrary to EU law,” the ruling stated.

This decision could have significant implications for the transfer market, potentially enabling players to leave their clubs without the risk of being legally bound thereafter.

Diarra’s Belgian lawyer, Jean-Louis Dupont, who referred to the case as “the Bosman 2.0 affair,” hailed the ruling as “a total victory.”

Dupont was also involved in the landmark 1995 case of Jean-Marc Bosman, which allowed players to move to another club at the end of their contracts without a transfer fee and abolished quotas on foreign players at clubs.