The Court of Justice of the European Union has issued an official ruling on the case of Lassana Diarra. The former French midfielder departed Lokomotiv Moscow in 2015 despite being under a three-year contract, and was subsequently ordered by FIFA to compensate the Russian club with €20 million.
In response to this decision, the former Real Madrid player took the matter to the European Court of Justice, which has now ruled in his favour. The court has determined that any player has the right to leave a club regardless of the contract duration.
This landmark ruling could have an unprecedented impact on the transfer market, as it establishes that FIFA’s regulations are incompatible with the free movement of people, including footballers. The consequences could be akin to the well-known Bosman ruling.