From Neymar to Schelotto: Craziest release clauses in football

Brazilian striker Neymar has just signed a new contract with Barcelona. The Spanish side have added a new release clause in his contract to ward off interest of PSG that would have been open to meet the previous release clause of the former Santos ace.



Neymar’s new release clause is set to € 200 million, but the fee to take him from Barcelona will be set to € 250 million in the last three years of his new deal.



The Brazilian’s release fee is not the only crazy one around Europe. Messi’s is € 300 million, Ronaldo’s € 1 billion and also some Serie A players have agreed to insert release clauses in their new contracts. Mauro Icardi has just signed a new contract with a fee of € 110 million which can only be activated by foreign clubs.



It is normal for big names to have big release fees as well, but International stars are not the only one to have crazy release fees in their contracts.



​Sporting CP have added a clause of € 45 million in the contract of former Inter flop Ezequiel Schelotto, the same one of former Lazio centre-back Ciani. The Portuguese club have tied down 21-year-old Ryan Gauld with a release clause of € 60 million, but the promising Scottish footballer has failed to impress with senior Sporting squad and is now out on loan at Vitoria Setubal.



The same happened in 2014 when Sporting signed Januya Yanaka, pretty much an unknown footballer, for € 750.000 from Kashima Reysol. Yanaka agreed a release clause of € 60 million but returned to his old club on loan a few months later.



​When Betis Sevilla signed Denilson in 1998, the Brazilian signed a 12-year-deal with a release clause of € 450 million (750 Italian lire billion at the time), whist Rivaldo’s release clause at Barcelona back in the 90s was € 170 million.



In 2011, Andreu Fontas signed his first professional contract with Barcelona with a release clause of € 30 million, but the promising defender picked up a knee injury shortly after. The former blaugrana promise is now under contract with Celta Vigo.



​Athletic Bilbao are known to be another Spanish club that put huge release clauses in the contract of their stars. Aymeric Laporte, a former target of Manchester City, is available for € 60 million, whilst Mikel San Josè’s clause is set to € 40 million.



​There are also less popular players which still have crazy release clauses at Bilbao as both Yeray Alvarez and Mikel Vesga have long term contract with release clauses set to € 30 million.

