Why Tottenham Hotspur completed the Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster deals before the summer transfer window

Tottenham Hotspur have so far confirmed two signings this summer – the arrival of Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster on free transfers following the pair’s exit from Inter Milan and Southampton respectively. 

Both signings have been confirmed way in advance of the transfer window officially commencing on Friday, June 10. But why?

Under the Bosman ruling, clubs are free to approach and negotiate a deal with players who have less than six months remaining on their contracts. The rule came into effect in 1995 and has since enabled the concept of ‘free transfers’. 

This meant that a club is not entitled to receive a fee if the player in question has completed the tenure of his contract. Before the Bosman ruling, that was not the case. Clubs weren’t legally obligated to let players leave for free. 

Both the Perisic and Forster deals have been announced before the official opening of the transfer window, but on paper, they won’t become employees of Tottenham Hotspur before July 01. Player contracts generally expire on June 30. However, the club was free to announce both deals and even unveil both players. 

Such announcements are nothing new, as there is now law governing when football clubs can announce transfers. Manchester City announced the blockbuster acquisition of Erling Haaland on May 10, a month before the transfer window’s due opening and that wasn’t even a free signing. 

More Tottenham Hotspur News

• Manchester United reject Tottenham Hotspur overtures for Marcus Rashford
• Tottenham Hotspur great Chris Waddle questions Ivan Perisic transfer
• Tottenham Hotspur dealt major setback in their pursuit of Alessandro Bastoni 

A lot more transfer activity is expected at Hotspur Way this summer. Inter’s Alessandro Bastoni, RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol, Villareal’s Pau Torres and Manchester City’s Gabriel Jesus are a few of a handful of names linked to the club. 

However, none are likely to be finalised before June 10, unlike Perisic and Forster.