The ‘calcium’, in check! They stopped the order that benefited foreign players and clubs

Italy has abolished the so-called ‘Crescita Decree’, a tax discount that benefited foreign footballers in Italy and the clubs that signed them.

The Italian Government has decided not to include in the Budgets for 2024 the tax benefits that have until now served Italian clubs to sign foreign players relatively easily, according to a new budget bill announced this Monday .

The call The ‘Crescita Decree’, introduced in 2019, allowed a significant reduction in taxes for signed players, who only paid personal income tax equal to 50% of his salary. An incentive to join an Italian club beyond strictly sports.

For the player to get the tax benefit Three simple requirements need to be met: who resided abroad for two tax periods before moving to Italy; stay in Italy for two years after the transfer of residence – which requires the signing of a two-year contract; and carry out work mainly in Italy.

The new order does not include footballers

The new order maintains a tax benefit for workers who meet the requirements of high qualification or specializationa category that excludes athletes.

“Employed or self-employed workers who move their tax residence in Italy will be granted, starting from 2024, a new subsidized regime for a maximum of 5 years,” explained the Government after its Council of Ministers monday .

“Workers who meet the requirements for high qualification or specialization and have not lived in our country for three tax periods before obtaining residency,” he added.

Club politics, severely affected

The suppression of the ‘Crescita Decree’, which forces clubs to change the strategy they have designed for the next market windows, will favor the development of Italian talent, a debate open to ‘calcio’ for many year due to criticism of the lack of opportunities. for the Italians in the Serie A first teams, looking for outside players driven by the tax benefit.

This has signaled the nationalization of foreign talent for the senior team, with recent cases of Mateo Retegui or the intention to do so in Matías Soulè as great exponents.

The new signature is invalidated

Furthermore, recent signings in the summer market will be affected by the retroactive nature of the rule. Meaning, newly incorporated players like Christian Pulisic and Loftus-Cheek in Milan; Benjamin Pavard and Marcus Thuram at Inter; or Housem Aouar and Evan Ndicka in Romeamong many others, will be subject to the new taxation which will officially take effect on January 1, 2024.