What the transfer market is in a football manager
The transfer market is the system where clubs buy and sell players. It is the main way to strengthen the squad or to raise cash.
In real football clubs negotiate transfers between themselves: fee, payment terms, sometimes loans with an option to buy. In online managers the market is where managers compete with each other for players, and it is usually one of the most competitive parts of the game. Some games sell at a fixed price, others use offers and negotiation, others use auctions, and with auctions the price is set by the competition between clubs.
In ELDT there is no direct purchase: every transfer between clubs is an auction. The seller sets a starting price, managers bid for 3 days and the highest offer wins. Buyer and seller each pay a 10% commission, and if the player came through another club's academy, that club collects 3% as the training club. Loans exist too, decided by bidding: until the end of the season, up to 3 players borrowed and 5 lent per club, and never with an option to buy.
There are rules to stop the market becoming a casino: a player you bought cannot be resold for 14 days, you must keep at least 13 players and the maximum is 50. Computer-run clubs buy and sell too, but against a manager who is winning they only bid up to 70% of the player's value. From Season 3 (7 January 2027) the market is a single one for every country, with surprise free-agent windows.
See it in the game: the manager's guide.
Related terms
More on Transfers
See also: online football manager · guides on the blog