The Premier League has reached an agreement with the EFL, the body responsible for the running of other tiers of league football in the United Kingdom, to keep the transfer window open between July 27 to October 16.
This means that the Premier League will start transfer business with Championship clubs and other lower leagues in the United Kingdom the day after the 2019-2020 Premier League season ends. It will give all the domestic leagues 10 weeks to do business with themselves prior to the commencement of the 2020-2021 season.
This decision which was announced today, July 15, is subject to the approval of the world football governing body, FIFA, because all leagues were expected to have closed their transfer window before 11 PM on October 5.
Transfer window: Transactions between Premier League clubs end October 5
If the Premier League and the EFL get the approval of FIFA on this new agreement, top leagues like the Premier League will stop doing transfer business between themselves at 11 pm on Monday, October 5. While they will continue to do transfer business with only the lower leagues in the UK. This will last for nearly two weeks and end at 5 PM on October 16.
However, Premier League clubs would not want to sign new players from the lower leagues after October 5 because they are expected to submit their team list to UEFA on or before October 6. The clubs most affected in this category are the Premier League clubs that will represent the country in the UEFA Champions League and the Europa League next season.
So, the EFL are expected to take advantage of the extra 11 days to strengthen their squad ahead of the 2020-2021 season.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is not interested in CAS’ ruling
Meanwhile, the manager of Manchester United Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has decided to distance himself from the debate on whether the judgement the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) gave in favour of Manchester City was right or wrong.
CAS overturned Manchester City 2-year Champions League ban slammed on them by UEFA for breaching the Financial Fair Play rule. The court also reduced their 30 million euro fine to 10 million euro. This attracted reactions from managers – Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp, condemning the judgement.
Also read: CAS’ decision to lift Manchester City’s ban: Guardiola, Klopp, Mourinho, Mikel Arteta React
But Manchester United manager insisted that he wants to be left out of the debate so that he could focus on his job.
“Other people can debate that and they’ll want to, it’s not my job”, Solskjaer said. “My job is to make sure we focus on the next game and do the right things.
“Financial Fair Play was brought in to keep football clubs financially sustainable and I think that’s important. They also give us rules to adhere to, that’s what we’re focusing on. Let other people discuss what’s right and wrong and what’s happened.”
