Serie A: January transfers at risk for six clubs, wage rules tighten | OneFootball

Serie A is preparing for a new regulatory tightening that could heavily influence the January 2026 transfer window.

Serie A, January transfer market at risk for six clubs: tightening on extended labor costs

At the center of the issue is the "extended labor cost" (CLA) indicator, calculated as the ratio between personnel costs and the club's total revenue, a fundamental parameter for complying with UEFA and FIGC licenses.

The new limit and clubs at risk

According to Il Messaggero, the cap set for 2026 will be lowered from the previous 80% to 70%. During the last Federal Council, Atalanta's General Director, Umberto Marino, proposed excluding Under 23 players from the calculation of the new limit, a measure that could have provided relief especially to Napoli, reducing the impact of heavy amortizations like the one related to Hojlund.

However, the FIGC only partially accepted the request: only Under 23 players eligible for the Italian National team will be excluded from the count, excluding foreigners. The stated goal is to encourage the development of youth academies without directly impacting the clubs' finances.

The six most exposed clubs

According to estimates, the clubs at risk of facing operational limitations in the January market are six:

Napoli

Atalanta

Lazio

Fiorentina

Torino

Genoa

Even clubs that have previously adopted prudent financial management might find themselves forced to resort to immediate capital gains or new capital contributions to meet the parameters. Particular attention is on Lazio, already sanctioned by Covisoc on May 26 for failing to meet the three FIGC indicators, which risks operating in January only with zero-balance purchases.

Budgets, controls, and 2026 prospects

By November 30, all clubs must submit their budgets as of September 30 to the new Commission, which will evaluate them before final approval by the FIGC. Only then will it be clear if other clubs face the same difficulties.

The real issue, however, concerns the 2026-2027 season. The Federal Council has approved the new national license manual, which requires clubs to comply with UEFA parameters on economic indicators. Failure to meet these limits will result in a market block. The FIGC merely aligns with European directives, but UEFA may impose financial sanctions as early as December for those exceeding the set caps.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.