UEFA chief backs Premier League transfer window plans

LONDON: UEFA chief Aleksander Ceferin says he supports Premier League plans to close the transfer window before action gets under way on the pitch next season.

Clubs in England’s top flight spent a record £1.4 billion ($1.8 billion, 1.5 billion euros) in the transfer window, capped by a final day splurge of £210 million, cementing its position as Europe’s richest league.

This year the window shut on August 31 after three rounds of Premier League fixtures.

Club bosses are set to vote this week on a proposal to close the window early, a move that would leave it out of line with the standard FIFA dates.

In an email to the Times, Ceferin said he supported the move to wrap up transfer business before the start of the next domestic campaign.

“I am aware there are serious discussions around Europe regarding the shortening of the summer transfer window and we are following them closely,” UEFA president Ceferin told the Times.

“In my view, it is not good when footballers play for one club when the league starts and another club when the transfer window closes. There is a lot of uncertainty for a long time. Therefore I would say that the window might be too long and I would support it being shorter.”

Supporters of the plan are said to be confident of achieving the 14 votes required to force the change, which would likely lead to the Football League following suit.

The League’s chief executive Shaun Harvey told the Times: “The one thing our member clubs have said is they do want stability in terms of the players that are available to them from the start of the season.

“Shutting the transfer window before the season starts has always found favour with our clubs. It would make sense for the dates to be aligned with the Premier League and any unintended consequences need to be thought through.“This will be on the agenda for our club meeting on September 21.”  —