Atlas › Finance we arrange › Football finance
Football finance
Transfer fees are usually paid in instalments over two to four years, so a selling club can wait years for money it has already earned, and a buying club has to find a fee it would rather spread. Atlas arranges finance on both sides of a transfer, and against other contracted football income, prepared and underwritten before it reaches specialist sports lenders, so clubs can act when the window opens rather than when the cash arrives.
What it's used for
- Transfer fee funding for buying clubs: the selling club is paid on completion and you repay over an agreed schedule
- Transfer fee receivables: receive the remaining instalments of a sale now
- Advances against central distributions and broadcast income
- Season working capital between income dates
- Stadium, training ground and academy projects
- Refinancing existing club borrowing
What lenders look at
- Who owes the money: the paying club's financial strength, league and ability to repay, including if results go against it
- The executed transfer agreement and its payment schedule
- Registration of the transfer (FIFA TMS) and the leagues involved
- The club's existing debt, charges and ownership support
- The currency of the instalments and any exchange-rate exposure
What you'll need to send
You don't need everything on day one. Start with what you have; Atlas tells you what's missing as the deal is underwritten.
- Signed transfer agreement and instalment schedule
- Evidence of registration (TMS / international transfer certificate)
- Latest audited accounts and current management accounts
- Details of existing borrowing and charges
- Ownership structure and KYC for directors and owners
How Atlas handles it
- Describe the deal. In your own words, online or on WhatsApp. Rough figures are fine.
- We underwrite it. Atlas checks the figures, asks the questions lenders will ask, and builds a complete pack.
- We match it. Your deal goes to the lenders on our panel whose criteria it fits, not to everyone.
- You compare terms. Lenders respond on the platform, and we help you through to completion.
For buying clubs: spread the fee
If you are buying a player and would rather not pay the fee in one go, or the selling club wants its money up front, a lender can pay the selling club on completion while your club repays over an agreed schedule. Lenders look closely at the buying club's finances and existing commitments, so appetite varies by club and league; Atlas tells you early whether your deal is one the panel will consider.
For selling clubs: get paid now
If you have sold a player on instalments, you can raise funds against the instalments still to come. If your buyer is struggling to fund a fee, you can also introduce them to Atlas so you are paid in full on completion.
Leagues we cover
Premier League, EFL and SPFL clubs, and clubs in Portugal and Spain. Other European leagues are considered case by case. Cross-border transfers, where the paying club is in a different country, are common and lender appetite depends on the paying club and its league. Atlas checks that before your deal goes out.
Getting ready for the January window
Lenders need time for due diligence, so the clubs that move fastest in a window are the ones that arranged funding before it opened. If you are planning to sell, or are waiting on instalments from a past sale, start the conversation in November or December.
Agents and intermediaries
Agents, intermediaries and advisers can introduce deals to Atlas. Registered introducers earn a share of Atlas's broker fee on deals that complete.
Have a football finance deal? Start it on Atlas in a few minutes. Introducers and brokers can submit on behalf of clients.
Start a dealCommon questions
Can a buying club spread a transfer fee?
Yes, for suitable clubs and deals. A lender pays the selling club and the buying club repays over a schedule. Approval depends on the buying club's finances, so Atlas assesses that before the deal goes to lenders.
Can we finance instalments owed by a club in another country?
Often, yes. Cross-border transfer receivables are a normal part of this market. Appetite depends on the paying club, its league and the currency, so Atlas assesses those first and tells you what is realistic.
How quickly can it be arranged?
It depends on the lender's due diligence. A signed transfer agreement, the instalment schedule and up-to-date accounts are what speed it up. For a January deal, start before the window opens.
We're an agent. Can we introduce a club?
Yes. Register as an introducer on Atlas and submit the deal. Registered introducers earn 50% of Atlas's broker fee on deals they introduce that complete.
Is Atlas a lender?
No. Atlas prepares and underwrites the deal and introduces it to lenders on our panel. Any offer comes from the lender, on their terms.
Other finance we arrange
- Development financeFunding for ground-up builds, conversions and refurbishment schemes.
- Bridging financeShort-term loans secured on property, repaid by sale or refinance.
- Invoice financeFunding released against your sales ledger.
- Asset financeFunding for vehicles, plant, machinery and equipment.
- Business loans and working capitalGrowth, working capital and acquisition funding.
- Infrastructure and project financeSenior debt for energy, infrastructure and large projects.