The Premier League judges a player transfer against fair value by appointing an independent assessor to review the deal with all specific fees removed, then weighing the new contract, the old one, age, position, record and experience. The board can also seek input from the chief football officer.
What a club must flag when it submits the deal
When a transaction involves a player registration, the club must identify it on the league system as a threshold transaction, an associated party transaction, or neither. That classification shapes the next step in the fair value process.
If it is an associated party transaction, the club must send in whatever evidence and submissions it wants the board to weigh on value. It must also provide anything else the board might reasonably expect or ask for, including any arrangement or incentive that bears on the other side's decision to enter the deal. On top of that, the club must submit a declaration from a director or equivalent of that associated party confirming that they consider the transaction to be at fair market value.
If the club does not consider a threshold transaction to be an associated party transaction, it may still submit material for the board to weigh on whether the deal is at arm's length.
What the independent assessor receives
Where an assessment is required, the board procures one from an independent assessor with suitable experience and expertise. That assessor is given a copy of the transfer agreement and any other document recording in full the terms and conditions of the transaction, with every reference to specific fees or other consideration payable redacted. In place of the figures comes a summary of the fee structure that makes no specific reference to the value of fees paid or payable, covering the payment schedule and the structure of any contingent payments. Everything else the club sent in for the assessment goes to the assessor too.
The assessor sees the structure and terms of the transaction without seeing the actual numbers. The assessment is not confined to the contract papers alone, because the assessor must consider all information that is appropriate, relevant and readily available.
What the assessor weighs about the player
These are the player factors the independent assessor must keep in mind.
| Factor | What it refers to |
|---|---|
| The new contract | The term of the contract the player is to enter into |
| The old contract | How much of his existing contract was left before the transfer |
| Age | The player's age |
| Position | The player's position |
| Record and experience | The player's record and experience |
This list is non-exhaustive. The assessor must also take into account any other information that is appropriate, relevant and readily available.
To inform both the report and the board's own assessment, the league's regulatory team or the board may obtain any further expert input it considers necessary. That input may come, in particular, from the chief football officer, provided that person has the required expertise and experience.
What happens if the board provisionally thinks the deal is evidently not at fair value
If the board provisionally decides, in its reasonable opinion, that the transaction is evidently not at fair market value, it must notify the club in writing and provide the comparable transaction data it considered. The club then has seven days to respond.
After reviewing that response, the board may again seek input from the chief football officer where that person has the required expertise and experience. From there, the matter ends in one of two ways: the board confirms its decision in writing, or it tells the club that the transaction does not need to be restated to fair market value and no further action is required.
FAQ
Does the Premier League check transfer fees?
It checks player-registration transactions through a fair value process when an assessment is required. The first step is the club's classification of the deal on the league system, which sets the route for the submission.
Who decides if a transfer fee is too high?
An independent assessor produces the valuation assessment, and the board makes the decision on the case before it. The board can add specialist input if needed, including from the chief football officer where the expertise requirement is met.
What does the Premier League look at in a transfer?
For this process, the focus is on the player and the contract context rather than the visible headline fee. The assessor reviews redacted deal documents, a fee-structure summary without values, and any other relevant material available for the assessment.
Can the Premier League block a transfer on value?
A fair market value assessment ends in a decision on whether the transaction falls to be restated to fair market value. If the board decides no restatement is needed, the case ends with no further action; if it keeps the opposite view, it confirms that decision in writing.