Player Mobility in Football: A Comparative Legal Study of European and U.S. Sports Models

This thesis provides a comparative legal analysis of player mobility in football, contrasting the European open-market model with the U.S. sports model, particularly Major League Soccer. It examines how legal frameworks, transfer mechanisms, financial regulations and collective bargaining structures shape the movement of players between clubs and leagues. Through key cases such as Bosman, Bernard and Diarra, the thesis analyses the evolution of player rights, contractual stability and the limits imposed by transfer fees, transfer windows, buy-out clauses and training compensation.

It concludes that neither system offers a perfect solution and proposes the possibility of a carefully balanced hybrid model that protects club investments while giving players greater freedom and flexibility in their professional careers.