The Transfer Window to Slam Shut

We all look at the transfer window and expect big things when it is open, quality signings in and big money transfers out but what does it really mean.

So when does it all end? Well the window slams shut at precisely 6pm today. When does it open and the rumours and conjecture start again? Not until midnight on 31st December in four months time.

That doesn’t show the full truth as transfers can be made to countries where the transfer window is still open. Standardisation then across the world of football, not on your life!

And of course the domestic window slams shut again a month later on 31st January 2011 but this time at 5pm, or it did last year. Bizzarely the Scottish transfer window, it is another country, shut at midnight

FIFA guidance is that each member country can have two transfer windows. The one at the end of the season, once the final ball has been kicked cannot be more than 12 weeks long and the second which can be anytime in the season can only be 4 weeks long.

Each national Football Association can therefore have different transfer windows. The rules get even more complicated when comparing the Football League in this country and the Premier League. In the FL clubs can have a maximum of 4 players under 23 on loan and 4 over 23 in the same season.

Out of those 8 loan players, assuming a club takes the full quota, only 5 can be named in the match day squad. Wait for it, there is more, only 4 players can be taken on loan from any one club, so bringing in the Man United reserve team is not an option!

The loan window as opposed to the transfer window, still following? in the FL is different again on timings with the loan window openinga week after the transfer window has closed. So on 7th September players can be brought in on loan but only up until 5pm on the fourth Thursday in November which this year falls 24th November.

This loan window as opposed to the transfer window then opens again in February and runs until the fourth Thursday in March which is 5pm on 24th.

There are differences in the Premier League concerning loans but that is not really of interest to us quite yet! More importantly it is the fact that the PL clubs have to register squads of 25 by 5pm tomorrow. Within that squad there must be 8 ‘home grown’ players, not always of British origin but they must have plied their trade in this country for three years prior to their 21st birthday.

Vital Lincoln will be scanning the squads at Aston Villa, Fulham and Liverpool to see if any of Baker, Herd and Saunders are in their pool of 25. Should they not be and Liverpool will have some players not named then when the loan window opens in 7 days time the Chessman can make his move!

Easy really!