Free agent

In professional sports, a free agent is a player or manager who is eligible to sign with other clubs or franchises; i.e., not under contract to any specific team. The term is also used in reference to a player who is under a contract at present but who is allowed to solicit offers from other teams. In some circumstances, the free agent's options are limited by the league's rules.

Free agency was^[when?] severely restricted in many sports leagues, instead clubs had a reserve clause which allowed them to retain players indefinitely.