Great explanation, thanks. The part that is most confusing to me is, all that being true, how exactly would a team make an offer for a player with a confidential escape clause. If they can decide who can approach the player, then what value to the player is the clause. The team could just sit there and tell the potential buyer, "We'll do a deal for 80 million (knowing the clause is for 60)." How do the player and his agent know an offer has been made. Sorry for being slow on the uptake on this, but it seems very complicated.