The transfer market

Most players change clubs at auction. The seller sets a starting price and a length from 24 hours to 7 days. Every bid has to beat the highest by a minimum raise, and a bid in the last 3 minutes moves the end to 3 minutes after it, so nobody wins by bidding at the last second. The seller can only cancel while nobody has bid.

The winner pays the fee and signs the player on the contract he chose when bidding.

You can make an offer for any player, also one who isn't for sale. The owner has 48 hours to accept, reject or counter, and each side can counter up to 3 times. Computer-controlled clubs answer after a few minutes, based on what the player is worth to them.

A player with a buyout clause can be bought at once for the clause's price, without asking his club. Not while he is up for auction.

Players without a club go to an auction first. If nobody buys them there, they stay on the free agent list, where any club can sign them at once for their price, first come first served.

Deals done in weeks 1–9 and in week 15 take effect at once. Deals done in the weeks between take effect when the next season starts: the player stays where he is until then. The money moves at once either way.

A player who changes clubs during the season needs 1–3 days to arrive before he can play.

After a signing or a renewal your weekly payroll may not be more than the salary budget the board sets. A team deep in debt may not buy at all. See the money section.