Transfer deadline battle

Premier League clubs are at loggerheads with their Football League counterparts over dates for this summer’s transfer window in a dispute which may require the Fa to resolve. Clubs in the lower divisions want to keep the window open from next month until January as they see regular player trading as the only way to survive the financial calamity caused by the shutdown and the ongoing absence of gate receipts. However, the Premier League are conscious of falling into line with ueFa’s recommendation of an October transfer deadline. as Sportsmail revealed yesterday, the Premier League are considering four different models for the summer window and will vote on the final proposal at their next shareholders’ meeting in July. all four timetables involve shutting the window in October, although two would see an extension to ueFa’s recommended deadline of October 5. One proposal is for a two-week extension to cover solely domestic transfers, while the other would permit new signings until October 19. The eFL, in contrast, want the transfer window to be open much longer. With the ongoing uncertainty as to when fans will be permitted to attend matches, many clubs fear that selling players and trimming their wage bills may be the only way to survive. While several clubs will argue for the window to be open all season to give them the flexibility to trade as required, the eFL board may propose a January cut-off as a compromise. The eFL have operated with a slightly different summer window from the Premier League in recent years after the top flight moved the deadline two years ago to before the start of the season. Before the pandemic Championship clubs had voted to align with the elite this summer and close their window at the start of august though Leagues One and Two had planned to stick with their existing deadline of august 31. While Championship clubs remain eager to be closely aligned to the Premier League, the latter told clubs yesterday that in the event of an ongoing dispute with the eFL it would fall to the Fa to determine the dates of the transfer window.