A retained list is the document a club publishes each summer naming which out-of-contract players it’s keeping and which it’s letting go. Premier League and EFL clubs put theirs out from late May into June, once the season and any play-offs are done.
What is a retained list?
It’s a club’s official statement on every player whose contract runs out on 30 June. Some are marked as staying, on new or extended terms. Others are marked as leaving, with their contract ending and no new deal on the table. Clubs submit this list through the Football Association’s registration system, and most publish a public version on their own website the same day. For full definitions of contract terms, see the glossary; club-by-club pages are listed under clubs.
When do clubs publish retained lists?
The FA requires clubs to submit their retain list by 1 June each season, via its player registration system, iFAS. The window for clubs to make offers to players — the “re-engagement period” — is the month of May, or, if a club is still playing in June, the seven days after its last competitive first-team match (The FA). That’s why a Championship play-off finalist can still be sorting contracts in late May while a relegated League Two side wraps its list up weeks earlier.
Premier League clubs published their 2025/26 retained and released lists on 10 June 2026 (Premier League). EFL clubs work to the same May–June window, publishing a combined professional retain list around the same time (EFL). Track which deals are due to run out before the lists land on contracts expiring.
Who appears on a retained list?
Anyone whose contract ends on 30 June: first-team regulars, squad players, loanees returning from elsewhere, and scholars — the 16-to-18-year-olds on development terms. Premier League lists split senior professionals and scholars into separate sections, since the rules for offering scholars terms differ from senior re-engagement. Players with a club option written into their deal also show up, either with the option triggered or left to lapse. Full squad-by-squad status sits on contract tracker.
What do the terms on a retained list actually mean?
| Term | What it means |
|---|---|
| Retained | The player is staying — either already signed to fresh terms or under contract beyond 30 June. |
| Released | Contract ends 30 June, no new deal offered. The player is free to speak to and sign for any club. |
| Offered new terms / Offer | The club has sent a formal offer of re-engagement. Nothing is signed yet — the player has 28 days to respond. |
| Option exercised / triggered | The club has activated a clause already written into the existing contract, extending it on terms set out when the deal was first signed. |
A retained-list entry isn’t the same as a signed contract. “Offered” or “option triggered” both mean talks are still live — see glossary for how each status is tracked through to a finished deal.
How does the offer process actually work?
Under FA rules, any offer of re-engagement has to match or better the player’s current terms — including guaranteed pay, bonuses and benefits in kind, though not one-off signing fees. Clubs must send it by post, email or hand delivery, and must be able to prove the player received it (The FA). The player then has 28 days from receipt to accept or reject in writing. If a club makes no offer at all, the player is free to talk to other clubs as soon as the re-engagement period ends.
What happens to a player once they’re released?
They become a free agent from 1 July, able to sign for any club, in England or abroad, without a transfer fee changing hands between clubs. Released players are tracked as they sign elsewhere on free agents. Being released doesn’t always mean the relationship is over — some players later re-sign with the same club once a lower offer or shorter deal is agreed outside the formal re-engagement window.
Do different rules apply to under-24 players?
Yes. If a player is under 24 on 30 June, rejects a valid offer of re-engagement, and then signs for another English club, the two clubs must agree a compensation fee between them. If they can’t agree, the FA’s Compensation Fee Tribunal decides, with each club paying a non-returnable £300 administration fee (The FA). Once a player turns 24 on or before 30 June, or signs for a club outside England, no compensation applies — the move is a straightforward free transfer.