Quote Originally Posted by ozleeds View Post
So what's the point of contracts then?
They are first and foremost a negotiating tool. They are used by clubs to protect themselves (how many times have you seen reports of a player being put under contract and then never played (Citeh are prime targets for criticism of doing so)?), they increase the "value" of a player that other clubs may be interested in, the longer their current contract has before expiring, so maximising the price that other clubs would have to pay as "compensation" for that unexpired contract period (and what they think the current club would accept of course!). Naturally they will contain the terms and conditions that determine what a player will be paid, incentives, sanctions should the player misbehave etc, but its the protection/compensation element that is the driver behind most contract negotiations in the modern game.

None of the above forces a player to go to a club they don't want to go to, no matter what their current club might prefer, and no club will pay good money for a player they know doesn't want to play for them, why would they?

Let's hope Barca can "sweep the corners" and find a few more Euros, because I don't think Raphina wants to go anywhere but there.