A Premier League signing-on fee is only allowed on a contract of at least three months. Monthly, conditional and week-by-week contracts do not qualify. If the deal runs for more than one year, it must be paid in equal annual instalments. Any unpaid balance is due immediately if the player’s registration is transferred.
Which contracts qualify for a signing-on fee
Here is when a signing-on fee may be paid.
| Contract | Signing-on fee |
|---|---|
| At least three months | Allowed |
| Monthly contract | Not allowed |
| Conditional contract | Not allowed |
| Week by week contract | Not allowed |
| Longer than one year | Allowed, paid in equal annual instalments |
The first check is basic eligibility. A signing-on fee may go only to a contract player whose contract runs for at least three months. Short-cycle and conditional forms of contract are excluded outright.
How the fee has to be paid
How the fee is paid depends on whether the contract runs beyond one year. Where it does, the signing-on fee has to be paid in equal annual instalments.
The rule is about structure rather than permission. A qualifying contract may allow a signing-on fee, but a longer deal also fixes the way that fee is released over time.
What happens if the player is transferred
If part of the signing-on fee is still unpaid when the player’s registration is transferred, the former club must pay the player a sum equal to the unpaid balance immediately.
That removes any wait for the next scheduled instalment. Once the registration moves, the remaining amount falls due straight away.
FAQ
Can a player on a monthly contract receive a signing-on fee?
No. A monthly contract does not qualify for a signing-on fee.
The same bar applies to a conditional contract and a week-by-week contract, so the restriction covers more than one contract type.
How is a signing-on fee paid in football under these rules?
It depends first on whether the contract qualifies at all. For a contract longer than one year, the fee must be paid in equal annual instalments.
This rule deals with the payment pattern for the signing-on fee itself, not with other parts of a player’s pay.
What happens to an unpaid signing-on fee if the player is transferred?
The former club must pay the unpaid balance immediately. The amount due is the part of the signing-on fee that has not yet been paid.
So the transfer ends any delay that would otherwise have remained under the original payment schedule.