SPORT has compiled a list of the most bizarre clauses in player contracts. The latest example: the clause in Memphis Depay's contract with Corinthians.
€40,000 a month. That's what Corinthians is paying, according to Globo Esporte, for the luxurious suite Memphis Depay lives in at a renowned hotel in downtown São Paulo. Of course, that doesn't include his hefty salary. The Dutchman, who also enjoys countless amenities such as room service, daily cleaning, laundry, a butler, a chef, a personal security agent, and an armored car with a chauffeur available 24/7, included everything mentioned in his contract.
Now, although the club has asked him to waive these benefits due to its significant financial difficulties, he has the right to maintain them. However, throughout football history, there have been clauses and conditions in contracts far more surprising than those of the former Barcelona and Atlético Madrid player. We'll review them below.
Neil Ruddock: The Scales Don't Lie
The tough English center-back was known in the Premier League for some weight issues, so Harry Redknapp, then manager of Crystal Palace, decided to set a condition for his signing with the Eagles: if he exceeded 98 kilos (216 pounds), he would have to pay a fine of ten percent of his salary. According to the British newspaper 'The Sun', he violated this condition several times.
Dennis Bergkamp: No Flying Allowed
The Dutch forward missed quite a few Champions League matches with Arsenal due to his fear of flying. If he couldn't get there by land or air, Bergkamp, by contract, wouldn't play that match for the Gunners. As an alternative, he often traveled by car, with the added strain that entails. He once drove 1,600 kilometers (9,000 miles) to play against Bayer Leverkusen.
His fear of flying stemmed from an incident he suffered when the Dutch national team was traveling to the 1994 World Cup in the United States. "In negotiations with Arsenal, if I said one million, they would automatically deduct 100,000 'because you don't fly.' And I accepted," the footballer recounted in his autobiography.
Stefan Schwarz: Footballer, Not Astronaut
When a club signs a player, it tries to find out everything. Even about his entourage. That's what Sunderland did in the early 2000s when they signed Stefan Schwarz from Valencia. The English club knew that one of its advisors had bought a ticket for a space flight scheduled for 2002 and, unsure whether they would take the Swede, decided to contractually prohibit him from traveling to space. The flight never happened, but the anecdote is now part of Premier League history.
Neymar: Kindness Comes at a Price
One of the most talked-about clauses was the one included in Neymar's contract with PSG. The Brazilian was to receive half a million euros per season for things as basic as being punctual, pleasant, and friendly with the fans.
Spencer Prior: Time to Eat Testicles
Proud of his native Lebanon, Sam Hammam, owner of Cardiff City in 2001, decided to include a curious clause in the contract of Spencer Prior, who signed for the Welsh club that year. The center-back was required to eat a typical Lebanese dish that combined lamb testicles with lemon and parsley. A good example of the Lebanese businessman's eccentricities.
Ronaldinho: Let the Party Go On
The Brazilian star, one of the most talented footballers in history, made sure that Flamengo's management respected his desire to go out dancing at night. According to 'beIN Sports', in 2011 he requested a "nightclub clause" in his contract that would allow him to attend parties at least twice a week. Flamengo, who paid €3 million for him, agreed.
Giuseppe Reina: The Lego House 'Scam'
The German striker understood the importance of having everything clearly detailed and in writing when he played for Arminia Bielefeld. When he signed with the German team in 1996, he asked for a house for each year of his contract. However, since he didn't specify what kind of house he wanted, the club gave him houses made of Lego.
Samuel Eto'o: You in Makhachkala; Me in Moscow
The Cameroonian striker was one of those great footballers who decided to head to the Russian multi-million-euro club Anzhi. In his case, it was for €20 million per season with a three-year contract... and several curious clauses.
Billionaire Suleiman Kerimov, owner of this team from the Republic of Dagestan, readily granted his requests, and one of them particularly stood out: the player asked for a private jet to travel from Moscow (the city where he would live and train) to Makhachkala, the capital of the Republic of Dagestan and home of Anzhi, on match days. A total of approximately 1,600 kilometers.
Mario Balotelli: the uncontrollable footballer.
Known for his strong character and eccentricities on and off the pitch, Liverpool included a clause in the Italian striker's contract to incentivize him to behave properly. According to 'Football Leaks', his contract stipulated that if "the player is not sent off on three or more occasions for violent conduct, spitting at an opponent or any other person, using offensive language, insulting or employing abusive language and/or gestures and/or dissent by word or deed," he would receive an additional one million pounds per season.
Later, AC Milan, aware of what 'Super Mario' was capable of, decided to go a step further and detailed in his contract a series of prohibitions, many related to nightlife: he could not go out partying, smoke, overindulge in alcohol, wear flashy hairstyles or clothes, and post things on social media that would damage the image of the Lombardy club.
wisely50
9
just a reminder Ronaldo has zero world cup lol