Reports have revealed that the English Premier League is thinking about making a major change to the transfer window system. Officials from major clubs are talking about shortening the winter Mercato to just two weeks and closing the summer transfer window before the new season begins.
This idea aims to reduce the interruptions that coaches and players face while competitions are ongoing in the Premier League and other leagues.
During the recent meeting of football directors from Premier League clubs, they had detailed discussions about the transfer period. This is due to the growing impact of the Saudi Roshen League, whose transfer market remains open for the full period set by FIFA.
The British newspaper “Telegraph” reported that the final decision on this proposal will be made by club owners and executives. They will decide whether to put it to a vote at the next shareholders’ meeting.
The impact of the proposed changes in the English Premier League on the transfer market
The summer transfer window was previously closed before the season began in 2018 and 2019. However, this system was later changed because other European leagues continued to allow transfers until the end of August, which put English clubs at a disadvantage during negotiations.
Even though the idea has sparked some debate, there is still a strong desire to align the summer transfer window closing date across the top five European leagues to ensure fair competition.
Statistics show that English clubs continue to lead the transfer market, spending €320 million (£266 million) in January, more than double what the Saudi League spent, which came second with €142 million.
Clubs in the Championship also spent more than Serie A (€33.5 million) and the Bundesliga (€31.45 million). On the other hand, La Liga and Ligue 1 made a profit in their transfer deals. The decision will be discussed at the upcoming shareholders’ meeting, where the details of these changes will be decided. They will also look at how these changes can fit with the transfer schedules of other European leagues, which could result in a big shift in the transfer rules in the Premier League.
