Ten of the strangest contract clauses in football – From Firmino’s anti-Arsenal proviso to Prior’s sheep testicle deal

Release clauses, buy-back options and sell-on agreements are all standard parts of a modern-day football contract.

But every so often some truly baffling stipulations are squeezed into the small print of deals handed out by the Premier League's most elite clubs.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain famously had a clause in his Arsenal deal that meant the Gunners would have to pay his former club Southampton £10,000 every time he played 20 minutes or more.

Spanish outlet El Mundo revealed in 2021 that now-Inter Miami star Lionel Messi had to 'integrate into Catalan society and culture' in his final Barcelona contract by learning the language but was available on a free transfer if the region became independent of Spain.

The rise of superagents and various player demands means standard contract negotiations are becoming increasingly complex.

However, it will still take some effort to top the clauses inserted to get the following ten deals over the line...

Cardiff City's eccentric former owner Sam Hamman was renowned for the unique clauses he added to his players' contracts.

And none more so than Prior's signing from Manchester City was conditional on him eating sheep's testicles — a delicacy in Hamman's homeland Lebanon.

He said: «It must be the strangest contract in the history of football. But I'll try anything once.»

Prior did indeed eat the dish with a pinch of salt, lemon and a little parsley… before it was later revealed that he was served slow-cooked chicken!

The former Arsenal player was committed to signing up for one of the first commercial flights to space when he joined Sunderland from Valencia in 1999.

However, the Black Cats were less keen on this idea and inserted a clause in Schwarz's contract that would nullify his deal should