Exclusive: Man Utd among number of Premier League clubs with reservations about closing transfer window early
Manchester United are among a number of Premier League clubs who have reservations about closing the transfer window before the start of the season.
The Daily Telegraph revealed earlier this week that plans are well advanced and already at “approval level” in a huge development for English football which is likely to be implemented next year.
However while it appears the majority of clubs are set to back the move – and the Football League has already announced it is considering following the Premier League’s lead – there are serious concerns. Watford are one club who will oppose it.
Chief among those concerns are the possible competitive disadvantage English clubs will face over the rest of Europe especially those clubs who are involved in European competition with overseas clubs still able to trade – including buying players from the Premier League – up until the window closes at the end of August.
If, for example, United are in the Champions League then they may face a club who after being drawn against them in the group stages – the draw takes place before the window closes – are able to alter their squad accordingly. United would not be able to make any changes, under the proposal, beyond being able to sell players outside of England.
United said they would not comment on the proposal ahead of the next Premier League shareholders meeting on Sept 7, when it is expected to be voted on, but it is understood that they and Watford are not alone in having concerns.
Clubs and managers have understandably complained that being allowed to buy and sell after the season has kicked off has caused unnecessary chaos. Many managers, including most recently Swansea's Paul Clement, have criticised the current set-up.
After the 0-0 draw with Southampton on Saturday, Clement said: "There's frustration here and I'm sure Southampton are frustrated, too. That's why I think if the window is shut before the season starts everything is sorted out and we can get on with the football.
"At our managers' meeting at the Premier League last week, we spoke about it. The majority of clubs are in favour, but maybe all have to be for it to go through." Since he spoke Swansea have sold Gylfi Sigurdsson to Everton for £45million with the Icelandic international having undergone his medical on Wednesday.
But the Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger warned that although he would be in favour of the change it may place English clubs at a disadvantage.
“Let’s not forget that people who are not happy will sometimes go abroad, to different countries and that will not stop,” he said in an interview with beIN Sports. “The transfer abroad will still take place if the other countries continue to be open until the August 31 so it might still have some of the problems we face today.”
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It remains to be seen how strong the opposition is from clubs such as United, or whether they are simply seeking clarification, and there is still an expectation that the change will be approved. A minimum of 14 of the 20 clubs would need to agree for the change to go through.
The Premier League will be acting unilaterally, it is thought, and does not require approval from leagues in other countries to sign off the changes. It will be proposed that the deadline is brought forward to the week before the start of the 2018-19 Premier League season This year's summer transfer window closes on Aug 31, nearly three weeks after the season started, and is threatening to become another chaotic finale of last-minute deals.
There have also been a growing number of transfer sagas with the future of key players – such as Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho, Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez and Southampton’s Virgil Van Dijk – not being fully resolved even though the season is already underway.
