Premier League clubs vote to return to September 1 transfer deadline

Under the system last year, Premier League clubs were barred from recruiting from August 9 but could still lose players to European rivals until September 2.

By: Reuters | Published: February 6, 2020 6:44:00 pm
Representational image.

Premier League clubs agreed on Thursday to move the last day of the close-season transfer window back to the end of August or early September, in line with Europe’s top leagues.

Premier League clubs voted in favour of changing the transfer window in 2017, bringing deadline day forward to before the start of the season the following year.

European clubs continued to trade for three weeks longer, leading several managers, including Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, to complain that the move had handed rivals an undue advantage.

Under the system last year, Premier League clubs were barred from recruiting from August 9 but could still lose players to European rivals until September 2.

The decision to return to the old system was taken at a shareholders meeting, the Premier League said in a statement on its website.

Accordingly, the next transfer window will close at 5 p.m. BST (1600 GMT) on September 1, because August 31 is a UK bank holiday.