PREMIER LEAGUE clubs have agreed a 10-week summer transfer window as a result of the coronavirus crisis and shutdown.
As SunSport revealed last week, clubs will be free to buy and sell from Monday July 27, the day after the delayed season ends.
Man Utd boss Solskjaer will have 10 weeks in which to complete all his transfer dealingsCredit: PA:Press Association
Premier League clubs will have just over two months to sign the players they hope will lead them to title successCredit: Reuters
It will close for clubs to sign players on Uefa’s European competition registration deadline of Oct 5.
It means clubs will be able to trade for the likely first three weeks of the new season, with the League expected to confirm a September 12 start date for the 2020-21 campaign at next week’s video meeting of the clubs.
But the Prem sides have agreed to a further 11-day window for deals between top flight clubs and the EFL, allowing players to be sent out on loan or sold to lower divisions.
And that means the EFL sides will be allowed the maximum 12-week window permitted under Fifa regulations.
The decision was confirmed after the Prem was reassured by the other main European leagues that they would also be respecting the Uefa deadline as their cut-off point.
In February, the 20 shareholder clubs agreed in February to revert to the window closing after the season begins.
That followed two years of an early closure that placed English sides at a disadvantage of up to three weeks compared to their European counterparts.
There were concerns that failing to align with Europe would leave English sides vulnerable to losing key assets once again but they were allayed after the discussions.
Some clubs were also initially reluctant to extend the window for deals with the EFL but the issues were smoothed over during talks that began on Thursday.
Under Fifa rules, leagues are allowed a maximum window period of 16 weeks per year, normally split into 12 weeks in the summer and four in the winter.
As a result of the chaos caused by Covid-19, Fifa has agreed that leagues will, for one year only, have the right to split their registration and transfer periods into three windows, still adding up to 16 weeks.
The Prem, though, seems unlikely to take up the option with the winter window expected to last from January 1 to February 1.
Manchester United are just one of a number of clubs planning a bumper summer window.
They are looking to bring in Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, Leicester left-back Ben Chilwell and Borussia Dortmund hero Jadon Sancho – the latter at a club record fee of £109million.
Boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has already lost out on Jude Bellingham, with the teenage Birminghan sensation choosing to join Dortmund instead.
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is another who looks like he will be busy.
He has already completed the signings of Hakim Ziyech and Timo Werner – while Kai Havertz could be the next to make the move to Stamford Bridge.
Jamie Ohara says a move from Aston Villa to Man Utd would not be right for Jack Grealish
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
