Crouch to buy-out his contract?

Last updated : 17 February 2008 By Adam Bryant

Wigan defender Andy Webster was the first to take advantage of the FIFA rule which allows players to hand in their notice if they are under 28 and have served at least three years of a four or five year contract.

According to the Sunday Telegraph:

Crouch is carefully considering exploiting the ruling, one of several options open to the England striker whose current deal expires at the end of next season.

Although both Liverpool and Crouch's agent Jonathan Barnett refused to confirm that similar action was being taken by the player, it is understood that the threat of buying out his contract and leaving for far less than his market value is likely to form part of Crouch's negotiations.

Barnett said clubs had nothing to worry about if they behaved responsibly: "Certainly it will change the way things are conducted and we are probably heading for a period of shorter contracts. But I've never heard of a player volunteering to leave a club when he is happy and being well-paid." Whether Crouch is happy is another matter, however; he played yesterday, but has started only six Premier League games this season.