ADVERTISEMENTThe Premier League kicks off again on Saturday after a week of international World Cup fixtures.
With the transfer window now firmly shut, teams can get on with the business of their games without the distraction of players coming and going.
That is set to change next season after clubs backed a rule amendment that will see the summer window end on the Thursday before the start of the season.
The league is hoping to avoid the transfer sagas that have left some clubs and players unsettled.
Premier League Chairman Richard Scudamore said: “I think the first and overwhelming reason is that the clubs felt, or enough of the clubs felt, that they wanted to get to the first day of the season knowing who their playing squad is, knowing who they’ve bought, without the uncertainty that then follows and then following on from that the idea that match one they could be playing against a player and then match two they could be also playing against the same player – that player having just been transferred between clubs.
“Fundamentally, I think our clubs felt that was wrong and for a whole host of reasons I think that’s really the nub of it.”
Liverpool were forced to dig in and reject three bids from Barcelona for Philip Coutinho, The unsettled Brazilian made no secret of his desire to leave Anfield and handed in a transfer request in the beginning of August.
The Spanish club declared an interest following the departure of Neymar and were determined to get their man.
I hear Peter Crouch is off to Middlesex as wicket-keeper, James Milner to the Lib-Dems for £40 million plus add-ons and Rita Ora to Ipswich.
— Mark Steel (@mrmarksteel) 31 août 2017
The Alexis Sanchez will-he-won’t-he saga dragged on until the final minutes of the transfer window. The Chilean international wanted away to Manchester City but he was left in limbo in north London after Arsenal’s bid to find a replacement fell through.
The new rule means Premier League clubs will still be able to sell players to other leagues, such as those in Europe, whose window are still open.
The new date applies only to clubs in the Premier League and relates only to purchasing of players.
Premier League clubs will still be able to sell players to clubs in other leagues, such as those in Europe, whose window is still open.
Some European clubs have also expressed support for shortening the window in similar fashion but the Premier League is so far the only league to have made the move.
The Football League, which includes the second, third and fourth tiers of English football, has not yet changed their window but a similar change is on the agenda for their meeting of clubs on September 21.