Atalanta, Lookman saga: no free transfer, wages in doubt, FIFA rule | OneFootball

The Ademola Lookman case is becoming increasingly complicated. The Nigerian striker, after publicly declaring his intention to end his experience with Atalanta, has literally disappeared: he has not shown up at the Zingonia sports center for two days, has removed every reference to the Dea from his social media channels, and according to rumors, he has already emptied his locker.

Atalanta, Lookman case: no release and salary at risk. Here's what Article 17 of the FIFA regulations really provides

While Inter observes the evolution of the situation, there has been talk of a possible unilateral termination of the contract, hinted at by his agent Andrea D'Amico. The reference would be to the "Diarra case", which in the past set a precedent on the matter. However, this hypothesis appears to be little feasible both on a normative and practical level.

Article 17 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players disciplines the unilateral termination of contracts, but establishes very rigid rules. A player can indeed dissolve the bond with their club by paying an economic indemnity, but only in the presence of the following conditions:

Contract duration: at least three years must have passed since the signing if the player was under 28 years old at the time of signing.

Lookman signed on August 4, 2022, when he was 25 years old. Only two years have passed, so the first requirement is not met.

Territorial restriction: the player who unilaterally frees himself cannot register with a club from the same country for the next season.

In this case, Inter could not hire him, making any potential advantage for the player null.

Notification deadlines: the intention to terminate must be notified within 15 days of the last official match played by the club.

For Atalanta, the last game was played at the end of May: the deadline was June 9. This time frame has also expired.

In short, Lookman cannot use Article 17 to release himself and sign with Inter. The comparison with the Diarra case, therefore, does not hold: that was an isolated case, with legal and contractual peculiarities not applicable to the current situation.

Atalanta's position: towards the suspension of the salary

If on the one hand the release is excluded, on the other hand, the discontent is growing in Atalanta for the unjustified absence of the player. The club has not yet taken formal disciplinary action, but could do so soon.

The collective contract signed between Lega Serie A and the Italian Footballers' Association (AIC) provides for the possibility of suspending the salary of a player who does not show up to training after three calls spaced at least 48 hours apart within seven days.

To date, Lookman has deserted two calls. If he were to miss the third, Atalanta could proceed with the suspension of his salary, both the fixed and variable part.

A legitimate provision, provided for by the regulations, which does not exclude further disciplinary or legal consequences if the situation were to drag on.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.