Premier League clubs vote to close transfer window before start of season
Under the new proposal, which will be implemented from 2018 onwards, clubs will still be able to sell players to other leagues until their respective transfer windows close
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Your support makes all the difference.Premier League clubs have voted to close the summer transfer window at 5pm on the Thursday before the start of the season.
Under the new proposal, which will be implemented from 2018 onwards, Premier League clubs will still be able to sell players to other leagues until their respective transfer windows close but won’t be permitted to make new signings once the season is underway.
This means buying activity will cease on 9 August for the 2018/19 season.
A total of 14 out of 20 votes were required to pass the proposal. It’s understood the final decision was not unanimous.
European leagues will still be able to buy and sell until 31 August, while the Football League's own window remains unaltered.
A number of high-profile Premier League managers, including the likes of Arsene Wenger, have complained that the transfer window causes disruption to their squads and preparations heading into a new season.
Wenger this week voiced his support for the change as he called for greater "clarity".
“Many things happen in the last second, which I regret,” the Frenchman said.
“That’s why I believe it’s important that we change that and close all that stuff before the championship starts. Even in the games, you sit there before the games and even in players’ minds they have no clarity.
“Are they in? Are they out? Are they half in? Are they half out? Are they tapped up in the afternoon of the game by people who want to get them out? It’s not the way to work and it’s uncomfortable.
"Every single manager in the league would agree that it’s time to kick that out before the season starts and not continue to have players in the dressing room who are half out and half in.”
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has also expressed his support for the plans. In an email to The Times, he wrote: "I am aware there are serious discussions around Europe regarding the shortening of the summer transfer window and we are following them closely.
"In my view, it is not good when footballers play for one club when the league starts and another club when the transfer window closes. There is a lot of uncertainty for a long time. Therefore I would say that the window might be too long and I would support it being shorter."
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