AN INTERESTING

ruling from the Court of Commerce in Charleroi. Jean-Louis Dupont, who helped Jean-Marc Bosman establish freedom of movement for out-of-contract footballers, won a case for Lassana Diarra that could one day change the rules governing all transfers.

Diarra walked out on Lokomotiv Moscow in 2014 with three years left on his deal, the club dismissing him that August for refusing to play. When Sporting Charleroi then tried to sign him in February 2015 they were told Moscow were due compensation of roughly £7m, shared between the player and his new club.

The Court of Commerce ruling was that FIFA’s article 17.2 contravened EU law. They said FIFA and the Belgian FA must now compensate Diarra for his year out of football instead. He eventually joined Marseille in summer 2015, but only after missing an entire season.

Could this be the beginning of the end of the transfer market? If it does not matter that Diarra failed to honour his contract before Lokomotiv dissolved it, then the next step is that contracts do not matter at all.

Be careful what you wish for. If players have total freedom of movement, in contract or out, they no longer have the protection a professional tie brings. A loss of form, or an injury, could see a club wash its hands. This ruling looks very good for lawyers and agents. Whether it would be welcomed by a 22-year-old with a ruptured cruciate ligament is another matter.