What Its Like to Transfer…

Soccer transfers are inherently complex, and this complexity intensifies when they occur during a major international tournament like the 2026 FIFA World Cup. When players are away representing their nations and focused on the competition, how can clubs facilitate a transfer?

This may explain why transfer activity often slows during these tournaments, with any transactions typically being rare and occasionally startling. For instance, Cesc Fabregas’ €33 million transfer from Barcelona to Chelsea in 2014 occurred just one day after Spain’s opening match in South Africa, which took many by surprise. Similarly, during Euro 2016, Chelsea quickly signed Michy Batshuayi for €40 million, who paused his national duties briefly to undergo a medical exam.

However, this summer’s World Cup has seen a flurry of transfers involving players currently on international duty.

Defenders like Ibrahima Konaté (France), Marc Cucurella (Spain), and midfielder Bernardo Silva (Portugal) have all signed with Real Madrid while participating in North America. Additionally, forward Ismael Saibari joined Bayern Munich from PSV Eindhoven for €55 million while Morocco was still in the competition.

There are also two high-profile transfers to note: forward Gonçalo Ramos made a €74 million move to AC Milan from Paris Saint-Germain while with the Portuguese national team, and Manchester City finalized a £116 million deal with Nottingham Forest to acquire ball-winning midfielder Elliot Anderson, despite his critical role in the England squad.

Even in the high-stakes knockout rounds, transfer negotiations are ongoing. Ahead of Switzerland‘s quarterfinal against Argentina, forward Johan Manzambi is reportedly set for a €60 million transfer to Newcastle.

So, with players preoccupied with their national duties, how are these transfers arranged? What challenges arise during negotiations under such circumstances? To gain insight, ESPN reached out to various agents and club representatives.

Standard Procedure

Most transfers follow a generally consistent procedure.

The process begins with discussions among clubs, agents, and sometimes intermediaries about a potential deal, outlining rough terms regarding the transfer fee and the player’s personal terms (salary, bonuses, contract duration, etc.).

If preliminary discussions align parties, official negotiations may commence, leading to a deal. The player then undergoes a medical examination, signs the contract, and the club submits their registration to FIFA’s Transfer Matching System (TMS) to finalize the move.

While the player isn’t always directly involved during these discussions, their presence is crucial for the medical exam. If they are abroad at an international tournament, how is this managed?

Arranging Medical Examinations

Clubs typically have designated facilities or hospitals for conducting medical evaluations, and sometimes preferred specialists to consult. However, if a player cannot be brought to these facilities, the club must send personnel to them.

“Clubs will fly their medical teams to wherever the transfer target is stationed to complete the examination,” says agent Alex Levack, who facilitated his first deal during the 2006 FIFA World Cup. “Major clubs typically deploy their top staff to finalize notable agreements.”

This approach is understandable, especially given the significant amounts involved in player transfers. With Anderson’s £116 million transfer fee, Manchester City will ensure significant involvement throughout the process.

Nevertheless, managing medicals in this context can be misrepresented as overly complicated. Leon Angel, Co-Head of Football at CAA Base, comments, “Standard checks include heart evaluations, scans, and reviews of historical medical files. If a player has prior issues like cartilage problems or torn ACLs, clubs will consult specialists about any potential concerns.”

Conducting medicals abroad varies based on the level of the teams involved. Angel, who handled Kyle Walker‘s £50 million transfer to Manchester City in 2017, reports few issues. However, Levack notes that elite clubs network effectively, enabling access to top-tier resources.

Anderson’s medical assessments occurred during England’s World Cup base in Kansas City, overseen by Manchester City, while AC Milan arranged for their staff to be present in Miami to conduct Ramos’ medical exam during Portugal’s stay there – a more straightforward task in the U.S. due to excellent facilities and a comfortable schedule between games.

Conversely, other contexts can present challenges. For instance, NWSL team Racing Louisville signed Thembi Kgatlana from Atlético Madrid right before the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations. With matches every few days, scheduling a medical was impossible – for example, an MRI alone could take an hour – so they agreed on a transfer contingent on a medical exam after the tournament, but Kgatlana suffered an Achilles tendon injury during the group stages, complicating the situation significantly. We will revisit this case later.

Negotiating with National Managers and Federations

A typical transfer involves three main parties: the player, their current club, and the new club. However, during international competitions, a fourth participant is introduced: the national team manager and their federation.

Sometimes, the involvement of national managers is minimal. For instance, Thomas Tuchel and the England setups were cooperative regarding Anderson’s substantial move to City. “It was known he would either transfer to Manchester City or Manchester United,” notes Angel. “Details concerning the player’s terms would have been settled before the World Cup. Once clubs agreed on terms, Tuchel instructed, ‘Get the medical done, get it signed.’”

Portugal exhibited a similar openness with AC Milan regarding Ramos, and given the frequency with which transfers have advanced and completed this World Cup, it is apparent that many managers and federations have adopted a similar stance.

However, this is not universally true. In some instances, managers have preferred to halt transfer discussions during tournaments. Levack has encountered situations where managers impose such restrictions, notably with England women’s manager Sarina Wiegman, who communicates to her squad: “If any of you are transferring, please finalize it before you come here; I don’t want transfer business to disrupt our focus.” CAA Base has had to act swiftly during summer tournaments to comply with such requests.

Psychological Considerations

Agents consulted by ESPN emphasized that the biggest challenge presented by mid-tournament transfers is the potential negative psychological impact on the player.

Although Tuchel and Wiegman adopt different philosophies, their ultimate goal is the same: to avoid distractions that could hinder the player’s ability to represent their national team effectively.

“In my view, if a transfer cannot be completed before a player reports for international duty, communication with the player should be kept to an absolute minimum,” stresses Pro Eleven CFO Vítor Gonçalves.

Angel adds, “You wouldn’t want to be the reason a player hesitates in a crucial moment and possibly gets injured — that’s when injuries typically occur.”

Levack points out the significant risk if a deal falters: “If a player is led to believe a transfer is imminent, only to have it fall through mid-tournament, the psychological repercussions could be profound.”

While elite players often manage to concentrate on the task at hand, they are still human. If Anderson’s coveted transfer to City were to collapse just before facing Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, it would not be unreasonable for that to affect him in some capacity.

When Plans Go Awry

There’s a popular saying: “The best-laid plans often go awry.” In the realm of transfers during international tournaments, while all parties strive to ensure a smooth process with minimal disruption, unexpected challenges can arise.

This was the case for South Africa’s Kgatlana. Her proposed transfer from Atlético to Racing Louisville during the 2022 Women’s AFCON was set to finalize. However, the rapid schedule of the tournament prevented a medical from being conducted before the match against Botswana in the final group stages. An agreement of $120,000 was reached, contingent on post-tournament medical evaluations. Tragically, she sustained an Achilles tendon injury.

“She excelled during the group stage,” recalls Austin Buchanan, the then-director of scouting and strategy at Racing Louisville. “I remember the moment Chris [Atkins, Kgatlana’s agent] called me — my wife said I looked like someone had died. I just buried my head in my hands and poured myself a drink. I knew it made everything very complicated.”

Atkins adds, “Informing Racing Louisville about the injury was one of the most challenging calls I’ve had to make. It’s something I’ll always remember.”

For Buchanan, this event jeopardized six months of effort. He had initially reached out to Atlético in the previous transfer window about a potential move for Kgatlana but received a firm ‘no.’ He followed up every two weeks, and finally, after numerous discussions during the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, an agreement was reached pending the medical exam.

“There was no chance she would pass a medical with that injury,” says Atkins. “Our lawyers confirmed what we suspected: the transfer agreement was conditional on her passing a medical, so Racing had every right to back out.”

However, against the odds, a resolution was achieved.

“The greatest challenge was the limbo the deal faced; everything was agreed upon but not officially finalized,” recalls Buchanan. “Atlético was hesitant to amend any terms, yet we couldn’t maintain the agreed fee; we weren’t securing a full year of the player for the initial amount. The league [NWSL] advised against proceeding, but ultimately it was our decision.”

“We went back and forth more times than I can recount. At one point, I feared the deal would collapse. Eventually, we arrived at a more performance-related structure, ensuring that if Kgatlana performed well, Atlético would still receive the original fee.”

The deal’s structure shifted from $90,000 guaranteed with $30,000 in bonuses to an even allocation of $60,000 fixed and $60,000 in incentives. Though all parties agree the outcome was beneficial, it highlights the intricacies involved in executing transfers during tournaments.