It is no surprise that these cases are so rare, most clubs these days would prefer to transfer a player (usually by loan) or settle his or her contract rather than have a fit player sitting in the stands watching the team play whilst still being paid in full.

To most players’ credit, they too would rather be playing than having to watch part of their short enough career being wasted away on the side-lines.

However, where there’s an international dimension (and possibly domestic, if a mirror regulation exists), if an established player features in less than 10% of a club’s official matches in a season, a window opens through which the player can look to go and end his contract with “sporting just cause”.

Article 15 of FIFA’s Regulations on the Transfer and Status of Players (RSTP) provides as...

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