China Football’s “Indenture-Style Contract” Stuns Italy: “Utterly Foolish, Mind-Boggling, Absurd”—Is This a Thinly Veiled Jab at Sun Jihai?

On January 4 (Beijing time), the Chinese Football Association (CFA) is set to推進 a reform of China’s youth player registration system—a move that has quickly sparked widespread discussion. As the debate heats up at home, the controversy surrounding the so-called “indenture-style contract” has also drawn attention abroad, leaving some Italian sports professionals genuinely stunned.

Under the upcoming framework, registration terms will be significantly tightened: players under 12 years old will be limited to one-year agreements, while those aged 12 and above can sign for a maximum of three years. This marks a sharp departure from previous practices, where children as young as eight could be signed in deals stretching all the way to age 18—contracts that could effectively lock a young player in for up to a decade.

A high-profile example emerged last year, when Sun Jihai’s Haqiu youth academy reportedly sought 2.66 million yuan in compensation from a young player, Zhang Zhuoyi, who wanted to terminate his agreement. The case triggered intense public debate. At the time, Titan Sports journalist Wang Qinbo criticized the system bluntly, questioning why the CFA permitted organizations to sign such young children in “camp-style” agreements—especially after lowering the signing age from the internationally common 12 down to eight. He argued that this left eight-year-olds, still too young to fully understand the consequences, effectively treated like “indentured football trainees.”

More recently, Wang discussed the CFA’s reform plans with several Italian friends working in the sports industry. When he described the old system—where a child could be signed from eight until 18—his counterparts reacted with disbelief. They repeatedly used the word demenziale, a term that conveys a sense of extreme foolishness, irrationality, and absurdity.

Wang further emphasized a key point: in many countries, youth players are not “bought and sold” in the way some assume. He pointed to real examples. When Fermín López left Real Betis’ youth setup at 13 to join La Masia, was there a “transaction”? Was he “sold”? Likewise, when Lionel Messi left Newell’s Old Boys at 13 for La Masia, did that move involve a trade or a sale? Did Newell’s accuse Barcelona of “stealing their talent”?

For Wang, answering these questions makes the logic of reform clear. If youth development is meant to protect children and nurture potential—rather than bind minors to long, restrictive agreements—then changing the registration system isn’t just reasonable. It’s necessary.