Alex Paulsen gets green light to make A-League return following review of contentious clause

In good news for new A-League club Auckland, one of its star recruits has been cleared to play following a key change to a controversial loan clause.

A-League All-Stars goalkeeper Alex Paulsen is free to play for Auckland FC in the 2024-25 season following a decision to review and eventually scrap the “Caceres Clause”.

Expansion club Auckland FC caused a stir earlier this month by signing Paulsen on loan from English Premier League outfit Bournemouth, who had in June bought the New Zealand international goalkeeper from Wellington Phoenix for an upfront fee of $1.5 million plus significant add-ons.

Controversy arose due to Bournemouth and Auckland being owned by the same person, American billionaire Bill Foley.

Such loan moves were banned in 2016 by Football Australia after a similar incident occurred when Central Coast Mariners sold midfielder Anthony Caceres to EPL giants Manchester City, who immediately loaned him to fellow City Football Group club Melbourne City.

Auckland’s glad to have you back, AP 💫⚔️ pic.twitter.com/j5eG6TFafh

— Auckland FC (@fc_auckland) August 11, 2024

The “Caceres Clause” was introduced to prevent A-League clubs from registering a player if a multi-club ownership/partnership club buys a player from an A-League club and attempts to transfer/loan that player to its sister club until whichever comes first – the end of the time that had been remaining on the player’s contract with the club that sold him, or the expiry of two transfer windows, including the window in which the player moved.

And with Paulsen having been under contract with Phoenix until 2027 when he was sold to Bournemouth, the earliest he could sign with Auckland under the existing terms of the “Caceres Clause” would be the transfer window starting in June next year.

However, FA, Australian Professional Leagues and Professional Footballers Australia announced on Friday night a “joint commitment” to “review and phase out” the commonly “Caceres Clause” ahead of the 2025-26 A-League season.

However, a change in time for this season will result in the “outdated” clause being amended to follow the FIFA guidelines which allow such transfers involving clubs with common ownership but implement “guardrails” to limit the number of multi-club transfers/loans to two such players on loan at any one time.

The second stage of the revamp will involve a review of the A-League’s salary cap to assess how useful it is “against its stated objectives” and the potential of transfer fee payments between A-League clubs.

Originally published as Alex Paulsen gets green light to make A-League return following review of contentious clause