Transfer news: all you need to know about deadline day

With the transfer window deadline day upon us, clubs across Europe’s top five leagues will be scampering to make last-minute, all-important signings to bolster their sides on January 31.

Read: Top deals from Europe’s top five leagues… so far

Transfer spending by Premier League clubs over the last 31 days increased from last year after two big deals were confirmed on the penultimate day of the winter window. Manchester United have completed the biggest deal so far, signing Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes from Sporting Lisbon for £47m.

Deadline day times across Europe all inch closer with a mad dash for last minute key signings (Image: Sourced).

Meanwhile, Sheffield United, punching above their weight, brought in Norwegian midfielder Sander Berge from Belgian side Genk for a club-record fee reportedly in the region of £22m. With just one day remaining, the total outlay by top-flight clubs stands at £185.1m, an increase from the £180m spent last year, but a long way off the £430m record from 2018.

Can deals be completed after the deadline?

Clubs across Europe, including in England and Scotland, cannot sign players after Friday, 31 January. In the Premier League, clubs completing deals late on deadline day will, however, be able to submit a ‘deal sheet’ between 21:00 and 23:00 GMT in order to give them more time to complete a transfer.

What about loans and out-of-contract players?

Clubs can sign free agents after the deadline – at any stage of the season – so long as they left their previous club before the transfer deadline. No loan signings can be made by English Football League (second-tier in England) or Premier League clubs after the deadline, except in extreme circumstances.

Major leagues in other European countries?

The transfer deadline is on Friday in all of Europe’s major leagues. German Bundesliga clubs have until 17:00 GMT, with Italy’s Serie A deadline at 19:00 GMT. France’s Ligue 1 and Spain’s La Liga windows close at 23:00 GMT, the same time as in England.

When can new signings start playing?

New players can only feature in this weekend’s games if they are signed and registered by 12:00 GMT on Friday. Otherwise they will have to wait for the following round of Premier League matches, which is split over the next two weekends. Nobody can play in next week’s FA Cup replays if they were not at the club for the initial fixture.