PREMIER LEAGUE clubs will today scrap the early summer transfer deadline after two years.
But the decision tees up a potential battle between the Big Six and the league’s smaller clubs over new deadline rules.
Spurs chief Levy has been among those pushing for the switchCredit: Reuters
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp and Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy have led complaints that closing the window more than three weeks before most of Europe shut up shop put English clubs at a huge disadvantage.
Spurs were destabilised by the long-running questions over Christian Eriksen’s future through most of August, while Manchester United had to deal with Real Madrid’s pursuit of Paul Pogba.
With the Prem window having shut on August 8, clubs risked losing players to continental rivals for 24 days without being able to replace them.
But with no consensus at the “shareholder” meetings of the 20 clubs, the final decision was put back until today’s gathering.
In the meantime, a third “hybrid” option, which would see TWO deadlines, had been mooted.
Under this plan, there would still be an early deadline on the Thursday before the season started for deals between Premier League sides.
But clubs would still be allowed to do deals with European sides and EFL outfits up until the closure of the global window. It was thought the hybrid plan was gaining traction.
SunSport, however, can reveal that the Big Six plan to vote as a bloc to revert to the old rules and a single deadline, which will be on September 1 this year, because the August Bank Holiday Monday falls the previous day.
That, though, could result in a spat between the six wealthiest clubs in English football and a majority of the lesser sides, who are thought to want the hybrid plan. League chief executive Richard Masters is taking a “neutral” position.
He did, however, concede: “It may be that this summer is the last window where freedom of movement is possible.
“So clubs may want to have a longer window to make sure that they’ve taken full advantage.”
Clubs will first vote on whether the current window deadline should be changed, with a strong majority in favour.
There will then be a second vote on the two options, with a simple majority required for the new dates to be adopted. Today’s meeting will also see discussions on VAR and the issue of work permits for non-English players following Brexit.
Masters added: “We want the Premier League to still bring the best players from around the world, and we want the system to be able to provide better quality players for the England team.
“Change is coming because we’re leaving the European Union and by the end of this year we’ll need a new immigration system in place that deals with it. But we don’t necessarily believe quotas are the answer.”
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta couldn’t be happier with new signings Pablo Mari and Cedric Soares
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
