Clarification for rules signing u18 players

I've just tried signing a 15 year old Turkish player for my English side.

He was a free-agent, but I cannot sign him until he's 18 years of age because Turkish players aren't allowed to sign for clubs outside Turkey until that age.

Can anyone clarify that if a player is a free agent in real terms, does this ruling still apply?

If so, then I accept the situation in the context of the FM game. If a player is not contracted to anyone and this rule isn't enforced in real terms, then it's something that needs to be changed right?

I think it is a rule in real life.

It's due to labour laws, which differ from nation to nation. FM contains the laws as exist in real life.

I thought that the labour laws might have something to do with it. It just goes to show the law is and a$$ when it comes to employment rights eh! Poor bloke is unemployed, has a job offer and his freedom of movement is restricted. Good job it's only a game.

It's just whilst on one of my lengthy searches for players, I managed to happen across this 15 year old Turk who already has very good attributes for his age and my scouts rate him very highly, "has the potential to be a leading Premiership striker". My "head" scout is actually very good, so I trust his judgement. He's agreed to sign for my Altrincham side that's just clinched a second consecutive promotion and will play in League 1 next season. I'm clearly chuffed he's agreed to sign, it's just a shame I won't be able to smooth the rough edges of this diamond through training until he's 18 and joins my club. To be honest, he would get streight into my squad right now lol.

It's a FIFA ruling that players under 18 cannot transfer across national borders.

Unless their parents move for non-footballing reasons, they're moving between EU member states (Though they are a Candidate country, Turkey are not EU members yet) or the club to which the player is transferring is within fifty km of the national border shared with the country into which they'd be moving. With their current club also being within fifty km of that border.

So unless you're managing a club within the EU and are looking for youth from EU member states, you can't collect under 18's from outside your country.