It was bound to happen eventually.
The Premier League transfer window will now close before the English top flight season starts. The summer transfer window previously shut at the end of August, at which point each Premier League club had played three games.
Clubs have complained about the transfer window remaining open when the season had already started, as it disrupted preparations and meant many teams went into the new campaign without their squad finalised.
On Thursday afternoon, Premier League clubs voted to close the window on the Thursday before the top flight season begins at 5pm.
BREAKING NEWS: 2018 summer transfer window to close at 5pm on the Thursday before the start of the season. https://t.co/TigKBxl81M
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) September 7, 2017
The decision was not unanimous, and clubs will still be able to sell players until August 31, when the window closes for European teams.
You can read the Premier League’s statement on the decision here:
Bryan SwansonThe decision has been greeted favourably.
Well done @premierleague, about time the transfer window farce was ended!
Get the business done, numbers handed out, season starts!
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) September 7, 2017
From 2018 the summer transfer window will close in the Premier League on Thursday before season starts. Makes sense to try it out #PLonNBC
— Joe Prince-Wright (@JPW_NBCSports) September 7, 2017
So there will be about 3 weeks between end of World Cup and end of the transfer window? Clubs will have to get much better at closing deals!
— Dean Jones (@DeanJonesSoccer) September 7, 2017
From 2018/19 the Premier League transfer window will close before the start of the season. Good idea?
— COPA90 (@Copa90) September 7, 2017
