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Explained in plain English

What is a free transfer?

In football, a free transfer means a player moves to a new club without a transfer fee being paid. This usually happens when their contract with their previous club has expired, or it's been mutually terminated. James Rodriguez's move to Atletico Nacional was a free transfer, saving the Colombian club a potentially large fee.

Stories that explain this

Former Real Madrid star James Rodriguez makes shock return to Colombian club Liverpool risk losing five senior players for free next summer

Related explainers

How do transfer windows work? Who are Atletico Nacional? What is 'Bosman ruling'? Who is James Rodriguez? How do player contracts work? Why are players so valuable? What's a free transfer? What are add-ons in transfers?

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