Wayne Rooney could quit Manchester United for just £12million a year from now, writes the Sunday People.
Rooney could become one of the first – and most high-profile – players to benefit from a tightening of FIFA's laws to be agreed in the coming months.
The England striker may be allowed to buy himself out of the final year of his deal with new Premier League champions United, paying the wages left and making himself available to sign for another team without a fee.
That would cost Rooney a fortune but he is sure to make much more as a free agent in the summer of 2014, when he could have the World Cup finals as a shop window.
The former Everton starlet qualifies as he will be over 28 by that stage and more than three years into his latest contract, signed in October 2010 after a lengthy dispute.
Those are two boxes he has to tick.
FIFA are under pressure to clarify their controversial Article 17 rule that allows players to leave their clubs before their contracts are up.
There was a landmark case when Wigan signed Andy Webster from Hearts but that has been altered since and now clubs are protected from losing their players – and can ask for more money in compensation based on previous transfer fees.
But FIFA will review Article 17 in the summer and are expected to rule in favour of the players.
Rooney will be on around £240,000-a-week in his final year at United, so that means a potential £12m buy-out.