To not believe any footballer can be worth £50 million

[Sirzy]

And to be disgusted at the amounts these players get?

baggedandtagged- Its to get them to terminate the players contract and to get them to release the players registration.

YABU
The fact that one was bought for that amount only hours ago in the free market should be enough proof for you to believe this fact.
Plus C.Ronaldo went for 80M and was good business at that price.

"I still don't really understand why the club get the money- I mean, they don't "own the player do they? Is it basically a contract termination payment?"

They hold his registration to play as a professional footballer. They don't own him but he can't just resign and go to work for another club so the money paid is to persudae the club which holds the players registration to release him from his contract and release his registration.

Thx- I thought it was something like that.