Premier League Transfers: Why Are Some Fees Not Disclosed? Answers to Your Questions

Andrew from New Forest asks why some teams choose not to reveal transfer fees. Clubs often keep these amounts secret to prevent rivals from knowing how much they have spent or how much budget is left to sign replacements. Although it seems less necessary nowadays, since agents and other sources often leak fees, clubs still prefer to keep details private. Sometimes, when transfers involve foreign clubs listed on stock markets like Lyon or Juventus, the fee becomes public through those channels, even if the Premier League club marks it as undisclosed.

Understanding Homegrown Player Rules

What qualifies a player as homegrown? It’s about spending time at English or Welsh clubs, not nationality. A player must be registered with any such club for three full seasons or 36 months before turning 21, or by the end of that season.

• Example: Chelsea’s Joao Pedro, born in Brazil, joined Watford aged 18 and counts as homegrown.
• Exception: Eric Dier, English by birth and representation, was considered non-homegrown because he didn’t spend enough time in England before 21.
• Another example: Noni Madueke spent time at PSV Eindhoven but qualifies as homegrown due to years in English academies before age 21.
• Jeremie Frimpong, born in Amsterdam and playing for the Netherlands, counts as homegrown because of nine years spent at Manchester City’s academy.

The Premier League’s homegrown rules differ slightly from UEFA’s, which only count players aged 15 to 21.

How Sell-On Fees Work in Transfers

Nick from Brentford wonders who pays sell-on fees and how installments affect payments. Usually, a sell-on fee applies only to profit made on a later sale. For instance:

• Team A sells a player to Team B for £5 million.
• Team B later sells the player to Team C for £20 million.
• The profit is £15 million; a 10% sell-on fee means Team A gets £1.5 million.

The fee is paid to Team A by Team B as Team B receives money from Team C. If Team C pays in installments, Team B also pays Team A in matching installments. Sometimes contracts specify different terms, including full immediate payment or negotiated lower sums in exchange for upfront cash.

Other Transfer Questions Addressed

• What are the rules around player swaps during transfer windows?
• Why is the EFL Cup scheduled on weekends?
• What new financial regulations must Premier League clubs follow?
• What changes have been made to Fantasy Premier League for 2026-27?