No restriction of trade here though. He can start to "apply his trade" the minute the clock hits 11pm on thursday. As Tom28 says, thats up to him. We are just restricting him from applying his trade elsewhere, as per the legal document signed just a few months ago. If he went to court, and won, then football contracts will no longer be worth the paper they are written on. Players will be able to push for a move to another club even when the valuation is not met. The transfer system will completely breakdown and clubs will go to the wall.