Arsène Wenger has attacked Fifa over Article 17 of its
transfer regulations, which has come to be known as the "Webster
clause", suggesting the rule was "very detrimental" and threatened
the stability of clubs such as Arsenal who prioritised the
development of younger players. The rule permits players to
terminate their contracts after a "protected period", which for
those under the age of 28 when they signed or renewed their deals
is three years and for others, two years.
Andy Webster, the 26-year-old Scotland international, who is now
at Rangers, became the first player to successfully invoke Article
17 when he bought out the remaining term of his four-year contract
at Hearts in moving to Wigan Athletic in 2006. Hearts received
£150,000 in compensation - the value of the final year of Webster's
contract.
Wenger, whose top priority this summer is to keep his existing
squad together, has deeper fears about the future direction of
Article 17. "The situation at the moment has become much more
unstable with the Webster clause," he said. "Every new rule
provokes a little bit more inflation and instability because the
players can always move out earlier and quicker.
"It was 28 two years ago, if they want [to invoke Article 17],
but I'm not convinced that rule will resist for a long time. One
day, a 26-year-old will go to court and say it's age
discrimination. Why can you move out at 28 and not 26 after two
years?.
"For a club like ours, which is going for a youth-team policy,
this rule is very detrimental. We educate them and then they could
leave at some stage when they get mature. This rule is not good and
we live in a world where it is also an incitement to inflation
because you are always having to look at their contracts. Stability
inside the club is a big problem because that problem is a huge
inflation factor."
Wenger cited the case of Alexander Hleb, the 26-year-old
midfielder he signed for £11.2m in July 2005, on a five-year
contract. Wenger was upset to learn that Hleb was in Milan last
month with an agent who brokers deals for Internazionale. "Before,
when you had a player under contract for five years, they were your
player for five years; now, they can leave after three years [if
they are] under the age of 28," said Wenger. "You are always
confronted with potential instability. Players are admired all over
the word, they are tapped up, agents get nervous and they see if
they can do a deal."
Wenger must hope Hleb has not played his final game for the
club. He was caught on camera slapping Reading's Graeme Murty on
Saturday, an incident seemingly missed by the referee, Peter
Walton. The Football Association is today expected to impose a
three-match ban on Hleb for violent conduct; Arsenal have only
three matches of the season remaining.