Iker Muniain plans to spend the rest of his career at Athletic, but there is already a serious question being asked. Without a release clause, what happens if he decides that he wants to leave the club? The player would not be stuck at the club with no way out, but for another team to sign him they would have to go through a very difficult process that makes it unlikely to ever happen.
Article 16 of the Decree of 1985 states that a judge must be the one to make a ruling on what the compensation would be if a club were to sign a player that doesn’t have a release clause. Contrary to popular belief, release clauses are not mandatory in Spain, but players are still protected in the sense that a judge can determine their value.