PARIS: The transfer rules of world soccer’s governing body FIFA go against European Union laws, the EU’s top court said in a ruling on a high-profile case linked to former France player Lassana Diarra on Friday, citing the bloc’s free movement principles.

“The rules in question are such as to impede the free movement of professional footballers wishing to develop their activity by going to work for a new club,” said the Luxembourg-based Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).

FIFA to pay out $209 million to clubs

FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) say a player who terminates a contract before its term “without just cause” is liable to pay compensation to the club, and where the player joins a new club they will be joint and severally liable for payment of compensation.