Premier League make large choice on switch window after summer time of spending
The Premier League has teamed up with Europe’s other leading leagues to ensure that the transfer window for next summer closes before the season begins.
The European Club Association (ECA), which represents clubs from England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France, is dedicated to setting a deadline day that will prevent clubs from trading players once the new season has commenced.
The aim is for the transfer window to shut next year on August 15 – a day before the Premier League season kicks off.
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It is hoped that this move will put pressure on the rest of Europe to follow suit, as clubs from the top five leagues will be unable to sign new players once their seasons start.
A proposal to standardise deadline day this summer fell through when La Liga withdrew their support due to pressure from Barcelona. The Catalan giants are in a financial crisis and needed more time to raise funds for new signings like Dani Olmo.
(Image: Getty Images)
However, the ECA now has a general agreement in place to synchronise transfer deadline day across Europe. Former Sunderland director Chris Woerts, who has become a key figure in the Dutch Eredivisie, disclosed that the idea has gained increasing support.
Woerts revealed: “The clubs are working hard to get the decision made on this within the entire ECA. Next year the transfer window must close on August 15, before the leagues kick off.
“Everyone is getting frustrated and annoyed by the fact that players are still being sold for weeks while the competitions have started,” reports the Mirror.
(Image: UEFA via Getty Images)
“One major club in Spain caused a problem so it couldn’t happen this year. That was FC Barcelona. Because of all their financial problems they were not able to make moves on the transfer market until a very late stage. So they broke the pact of the ‘Big Five’.”
Top dogs from Premier League clubs Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham and West Ham hold court at the ECA.
This season, the transfer trolley dash could go on till August 30 – a full fortnight after Manchester United and Fulham kicked things off at Old Trafford. But if the ECA get their way, next time around the transfer window will slam shut before the first whistle blows.
