The January transfer window has now opened and runs later than usual this year. Here’s what it means for Manchester United, Manchester City and other Premier League clubs
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim may want to add reinforcements to his squad this winter(Image: Carl Recine, Getty Images)
The January transfer window has just opened and Premier League clubs have even more time than usual to finalise their business. The mid-season window was introduced in the 2002/03 season, providing teams with the opportunity to bolster their squads or address any weaknesses for the second half of the campaign.
Typically, the window lasts a month, with the current one opening on January 1, 2026. But, this time around, Premier League sides have been granted a bit more time to wrap up any potential deals.
This year’s deadline day falls on Monday, February 2, with the Premier League window closing at 7pm UK time. If a deal is struck between two clubs late in the day, the Premier League will allow some extra time for the necessary paperwork to be completed and submitted via a ‘deal sheet’.
Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City will therefore enjoy extra leeway in their pursuit of new talent, as they look to improve the squad in an effort to qualify for the Champions League this season.
Clubs participating in any UEFA competition also have until midnight on Thursday, February 5 to register their squads for the knockout stages.
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Why does the transfer window close in February?
Last year’s January window closed at 11pm on February 3 – the latest it has ever shut. A February closing date is typically chosen when January 31 falls over a weekend, which is also the case this year with the month ending on a Saturday.
Do other European leagues have a later closing date?
Like the Premier League, Germany’s Bundesliga and France’s Ligue 1 both begin their windows on January 1, while Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga have to wait an extra day for their windows to open on January 2.
However, all their deadlines are set for 7pm UK time on February 2, except for Spain, which gives clubs an additional four hours to finalise their deals before its window closes at 11pm UK time.
In a major change from previous years, the January window will now close at the earlier time of 7pm – meaning Manchester United and Manchester City will have slightly less time to wrap up any loose ends on deadline day itself. It follows the decision to close the summer window at 7pm on September 1, which was brought in to allow club officials and staff a more manageable schedule on deadline day.
Pep Guardiola could bolster his Manchester City squad in January(Image: Ben STANSALL / AFP via Getty Images)Which leagues are the exceptions?
Portuguese sides have an extra day to conduct their transfer business, with their window closing on February 3. Austria, Greece and Turkey all close on February 6, while Switzerland’s window remains open until February 16.
Can clubs sign players or free agents after the deadline?
While signings can sometimes be announced outside of a transfer window, a player cannot be registered to play for their new team until the window reopens. Free agents, however, can sign for a club at any point, as they are not under contract with another club.