When does the transfer window close?
The transfer window is entering its final throes, with activity hotting up in the remaining hours
Summer signings are getting finalised, private jets chartered and medicals passed or bungled with the transfer window set to close later today.
The Premier League season is already underway, with three gameweeks behind us, and clubs must now decide whether one last trolly dash is needed before the deadline, at 11pm tonight, August 31.
It has already been an intense transfer window, with Lionel Messi's move to PSG, Cristiano Ronaldo's return to Manchester United and Jack Grealish's record-breaking Man City deal among the most eye-catching summer swoops. But there is still plenty of drama yet to come.
Will Kylian Mbappe seal his dream move to Real Madrid? Can Chelsea get a deal for Sevilla's Jules Kounde over the line in time? Will Manchester United make a late bid for Kieran Tripper? All will be revealed by the end of the today.
Two years ago, clubs voted for the transfer window to close before the season began. This proved to be unpopular - not least with the clubs themselves, who preferred the old model.
It was COVID-19 this time last year that threw a lot of the transfer window into chaos. A lot of players whose contracts ended had to sign short-term extensions to play for their clubs during the summer. While many players ended up staying with their teams to complete the season - such as David Silva at Manchester City - there were others who chose not to risk injury and jeopardise a future transfer - such as Ryan Fraser at Bournemouth.
Things are "back to normal" this time around, however. Clubs will need to finish all their business before the 11pm deadline this evening. As usual, the window will reopen for the winter in January 2022.
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Ed is a staff writer at FourFourTwo, working across the magazine and website. A German speaker, he’s been working as a football reporter in Berlin since 2015, predominantly covering the Bundesliga and Germany's national team. Favourite FFT features include an exclusive interview with Jude Bellingham following the youngster’s move to Borussia Dortmund in 2020, a history of the Berlin Derby since the fall of the Wall and a celebration of Kevin Keegan’s playing career.