“Personal terms”

Definition

The wages and contract length a player agrees directly with a new club, separate from the transfer fee the two clubs settle between themselves.

Origin

Borrowed from contract law, where the “terms” are the conditions of a deal. The “personal” half marks out the player’s own agreement, his wages and contract length, from the fee the two clubs settle between themselves.

Used in a sentence

“Arsenal and Newcastle agreed a fee for Bruno ages ago. It’s the personal terms that are taking forever.”