The Premier League summer transfer window is in full flow ahead of the 2024-25 season and there are plenty of big questions cropping up.
[ MORE: Here are the 2024-25 Premier League fixtures ]
Below we explain all.
What dates are the Premier League summer transfer window?
The transfer window officially opened on June 14, 2024 and closes on August 30, 2024.
When does summer transfer window close?
Teams can make deals up until 6pm ET on August 30, 2024. However, clubs can apply for a ‘deal sheet’ two hours before the deadline if they are concerned about a deal for a player won’t get over the line before the deadline.
The Premier League’s official statement on submitting a deal sheet is as follows: “Sometimes it is not easy for clubs to get everything on a deal completed and sent over to the Premier League by the deadline. The deal sheet allows a club to confirm that a deal has been reached and to allow for additional time to submit the remaining documentation.
“The sheet cannot be used until two hours before the deadline and needs to arrive fully completed before the transfer window closes. Once the sheet arrives, clubs have an additional two hours after the window closes to submit the full paperwork. But if a club are looking to complete an international transfer, they still have to comply with the FIFA TMS of deadline of midnight.”
Premier League loan rules
The amount of players Premier League clubs can loan (the official term is ‘temporary transfer’) is restricted and here is an explainer on the official rules:
As the Premier League state “there are restrictions on how many players Premier League clubs can loan from other Premier League/English clubs” and below are the details:
- Premier League clubs may not register more than two players on loan at any one time.
- The maximum number of loans registrable in the same season is four, and, under no circumstances, shall more than one be from the same club at any one time.
- Premier League clubs cannot loan to another Premier League club a player they have acquired in the same transfer window.
- A Premier League club may loan not more than one of its goalkeepers to another Premier League club
With the exception of Welsh clubs competing in the competitions listed under Rule V.6.2, loans from a club in membership of another National Association do not count towards the above quotas.
Can players be signed outside the transfer window?
This is a tricky one. If the player is a free agent while the transfer window is open, then they can reach an agreement with a club and sign outside of the transfer window, but the club must get the approval of the Premier League board. Clubs can also apply to the Premier League to have an emergency loan deal (under rule V.7.6.2) sanctioned, which is usually applied for if all of their senior goalkeepers are injured.
From the Premier League website, this is their official statement on signing a player who is out of contract: “If a player is out of contract prior to the close of the window he is free to approach and sign for a club outside the transfer window, but the club must gain the approval of the Premier League Board.”
Top players available
There are obviously so many incredible players available for Premier League clubs to buy, at a price, and here are some names to keep a particular eye on this summer as they could be on the move:
- Matthijs de Ligt
- Marcus Rashford
- Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
- Victor Osimhen
- Dani Olmo
- Eberechi Eze
- Conor Gallagher
- Alphonso Davies
- Ivan Toney
- Manuel Ugarte
Premier League squad rules
“After the closure of the transfer window each Premier League club must submit a squad list containing no more than 17 players who do not fulfil the “Home Grown Player” (HGP) criteria.
“The remainder of the squad, up to a total of 25 players, must be home grown. Under-21 players are eligible over and above the limit of 25 players per squad. For the 2022/23 campaign Under-21 players will have been born on or after 1 January 2001.”