FIFA will closely monitor clubs and players, rather than agents, as it looks for more transparency in international transfers.
The change of tack from the governing body will mean less focus on regulating agents. Reuters reports that a task force made up of FIFA and International Players’ Union members had produced a draft of a new system to monitor transfers which would be finalised in time for next May’s FIFA congress.
Among the innovations planned to be introduced are a “transfer matching system”, which would see transfers authorised only once the buying and selling clubs have separately entered data into a internet-based system, including the player’s name, the fee, the agent and how much commission had been paid.
Reuters reports FIFA’s head of legal affairs, Marco Villiger, as saying, "We will try to switch from regulating individuals who are not members of FIFA and monitor more the acts of our direct members, which are the players and clubs.
"Reality has developed in a completely different situation to the regulations, so we have decided to launch a new approach rather than keep correcting the system.
"We will go to the players and the clubs and remind them of the responsibilities they have whenever they get in contact with intermediaries.
"We will issue a set of requirements they have to meet whenever they use an intermediary, who could be a lawyer, a family member or other person who we would endorse."
