Premier League Clubs Vote To Close Transfer Window Before Start Of Season

Five of the 20 Premier League teams on Thursday voted against moving up the summer transfer deadline.

Premier League Clubs vote transfer window change news

This summer’s transfer window closed on Aug. 31 — more than two weeks after the beginning of the Premier League season — although following the clubs’ vote, that deadline will move to 5 p,m. local time on the Thursday before the first game of the season, according to The Guardian.

The development comes after the start of this season was marked by uncertainty over the future of players like Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy, Everton’s Ross Barkley and Swansea City’s Gylfi Sigurdsson, who ultimately transferred to Goodison Park.

Of the 20 teams, 14 voted in favor of closing the transfer window early, while one abstained from voting. The only club executive who abstained from voting is believed to be Burnley chairman Mike Garlick. 

The five clubs who voted against the measure were Manchester City, Manchester United, Crystal Palace, Watford and Swansea City. United’s vote contradicts manager Jose Mourinho’s stance. The Portuguese coach stated last month that he would prefer to see the window close “as soon as possible.”

Those opposed to moving the transfer deadline expressed concern that Premier League clubs will be left short if their players are bought after the domestic window closes and they are unable to replace them.

The Premier League’s chairman, Richard Scudamore, said there was an overwhelming feeling that teams wished to begin the season with greater certainty over their squad.

“Most important was the integrity of the competition between each other,” said Scudamore. “When the 20 are playing each other [it was wrong] you could have a person in your team one week and be playing against him the next, or worse the player not playing because of speculation about him going to another Premier League team so he’s not available for a week or two of the season while the window is open.”

“Those were the issues most of the clubs arguing in favour were using, that once the season has started we should know that we can’t possibly sell to another Premier League club. I think they just decided: ‘We’re going to break for the border, go it alone, put our marker down, go with it.’”

It is also believed that Liverpool’s adamant refusal to sell Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona convinced detractors that the Premier League could make a one-sided move without the rest of Europe.

In expressing his support for the window change two weeks ago, Jurgen Klopp said the earlier deadline  “would have helped us this year. It makes sense that when the season is starting, planning for the team is over.”

UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin recently voiced his support for moving up the transfer deadline in an interview with German broadcasters ARD.

“Yes, I think that it is open for too long,” said Ceferin. “It is strange that you play for one club when the season starts and then that you can simply play for another one. That is not good for the competition. We are in serious discussions over shortening the transfer window.”

When asked when he believed the window should close, he said: “I think that it is no bad idea to close the window at the end of July.”

Arsene Wenger, meanwhile, has said he is in favor of getting rid of January’s mid-season transfer window, citing players’ discontent with rumors tying them to new clubs around that time of year. However, Scudamore said that window has not been officially discussed yet.

LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 25: Cesc Fabregas of Chelsea celebrates scoring his sides first goal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Swansea City at Stamford Bridge on February 25, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)