Summer Transfer Window Could Remain Open Until January

26/03/20 1790

There is great uncertainty as to what is going to happen with the current football season in Europe. Every league has currently been suspended and there doesn't seem a definite date as to when any of them can resume. The 2020 European Championship has been moved to the summer of 2021 in the hope it will give the domestic European leagues opportunity to finish the 2019/20 season.

It has been suggested that the English Premier League, among other European leagues, will have up to the end of June to finish. It has also been suggested that they will be given an unlimited amount of time to complete the current campaign even if it means playing throughout the summer.

However, as soon as we pass the end of June players and managers contracts will be coming to an end and this poses a problem of its own. The individuals whose contracts do end may still be playing for a club which is battling for something at the top or bottom of the table. Some teams have also already arranged the transfer of players which will see them arrive at their new club at the beginning of July.

Will these players be allowed to start playing for their new team immediately or will they have to sit out the remainder of the season?

If the current season does continue into the summer that is going to be a distraction for teams who will be trying to sign players. It will also be disruptive for teams who are trying to finish in a European qualifying place or avoid relegation. So, what can be done to help make transfers easier for both the clubs and the players?

Perhaps the best option would be to allow the summer transfer window to remain open until January. It is thought English Football League clubs have already discussed this option and the Premier League will also bring it to the table in their next meeting.

Doing this would allow players to remain at their current teams until the 2019/20 season has ended knowing that they will still get the transfer they desire following the completion of the campaign.

However, it will mean that we are left with one very long transfer window, during which there could be a lot of uncertainty for many clubs financially. When the European football season does restart there will be many teams who face a difficult future. Such is the nature of the sport; this will give those clubs which are stable financially the opportunity to try and purchase players under their value before the outbreak of coronavirus.

Ultimately, Premier League and other European clubs are controlled by FIFA regulations. Therefore, any major changes to the transfer system will have to go through them, which could be a long process. As with many aspects of professional football at the moment, it is a case of wait and see.