What a release clause is in football
A release clause is an amount written into a player's contract: if another club pays it, the player is free to leave even if his club does not want to sell.
In football, above all in Spain, contracts carry a release clause. It works as an exit price: if a club deposits that amount, the player can break his contract and leave, and his club cannot refuse. High clauses protect clubs from losing their stars; low ones are an opportunity for bargain hunters. In some manager games you can pay the clause directly to take the player.
In ELDT that does not exist: you cannot pay a player's clause to take him. Every transfer between clubs is an auction, and a player only goes on sale if his club lists him, so nobody can take your star without your permission.
What ELDT does have are contracts measured in seasons, which you must renew to keep the player, loans between clubs and, from Season 3, free agents.
See it in the game: the manager's guide.
Related terms
More on Transfers
See also: online football manager · guides on the blog