THE stage is set for another dramatic transfer deadline day.
With plenty of moves still in the pipeline, clubs will have to do business early in the day if they want their new stars to play this weekend.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was delighted to eventually get his man after weeks of speculationCredit: Getty Images
Man Utd have sealed the biggest transfer of the January window so far, snaring Bruno Fernandes in a £55million deal after months of negotiations with Sporting Lisbon.
Can clubs still sign players after transfer deadline day?
DESPITE the best efforts of clubs, sometimes deals do run right up to the window closing.
If a transfer looks like it’s going to the wire, Premier League clubs are allowed to submit what is called a deal sheet.
The deal sheet can be submitted to officials in the final two hours of the window, so this January can be sent from 9pm onwards.
It allows an extension on submitting official paperwork of two hours, letting clubs who’ve struck a deal in the final hours of the window get their transfer ratified in time.
Olivier Giroud is a late January transfer target for Tottenham with Harry Kane injuredCredit: AFP – Getty
Any top-flight club can submit a deal sheet up until the 11pm deadline – but not afterwards, with most transfers then announced by 1am.
Players who are currently free agents can be signed at ANY time after the transfer window shuts.
Clubs in Germany see their window shut at 5pm GMT, in Italy it’s 7pm GMT while every other main European league ceases trading at 11pm GMT.
Players on the move can only feature this weekend if they were registered at their new club before NOON on Friday.
All loans must also be completed by the 11pm deadline on Friday, January 31.
The only exception is under EFL rules a team can sign a goalkeeper on an emergency loan provided all the stoppers currently in their squad are unavailable through injury or suspension.
In short, clubs can’t bring in any player after the deadline who is registered to another club when the window shuts.
A selection of players who are currently free agents and could be picked up for nothing after the deadline passes include ex-Atletico midfielder Nico Gaitan, former Norwich star Martin Olsson and Ben Marshall.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
