Premier League 2018/19: Clubs vote to close transfer window early…

Premier League clubs have moved to close next summer’s transfer window before the start of the season.

This is because managers have complained that allowing players to move clubs once the season is underway causes disruption to their squads.

Therefore, from next season, the window will close at 17:00BST on the Thursday before the start of the Premier League season.

However, the move was not unanimous and under the new rules, clubs will still be able to sell players until the end of the normal window.

In total, 14 Premier League clubs voted for the change, which was the minimum number needed for the plans to be approved. Five of the remaining six clubs (Manchester United, Manchester City, Watford, Swansea and Crystal Palace), voted against the plans, while Burnley abstained from voting.

Reigning Premier League champions Chelsea were one club who voted to close the transfer window early

The window across Europe runs until August 31, but the Premier League’s move means that while clubs will be allowed to sell their players until that date, the ability to buy players will stop on August 9 for the 2018/19 season.

European leagues and clubs in the Football League will still be able to buy and sell players as normal until the window closes on August 31.

Despite this though, Football League bosses have indicated that they could follow in the footsteps of the Premier League, but will require further dialogue with its stakeholders before a final decision to go ahead with a vote is made.

The early finish will not mean that the Premier League transfer window is shorter than those in Europe and the Football League. It will start earlier and be 12 weeks long, in line with FIFA rules.

However, next summer will be different than normal with the new season following the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which will finish on July 15.

Clubs can still do business during the tournament, however they will now have only 25 days, from the completion of the tournament, to complete signings.

The 2018 FIFA World Cup will mean Premier League clubs will have a little over 4 weeks to make signings after the completion of the tournament

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane praised the move, saying that it would allow players to concentrate if the window was closed early.

Those views were echoed by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger who said: ‘It’s important that we close all that stuff before the championship starts,

‘Players have no clarity. Are they in? Are they out? Will they be tapped up on the afternoon of a game? It’s not the way to work.”

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson also welcomed the move when asked about Barcelona’s interest in Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho.

Sir Alex Ferguson welcomed the decision to close the Premier League transfer window early

Speaking before the announcement, Everton manager Ronald Koeman said that he hoped the rest of Europe would follow the Premier League in closing the window early.

He said: ‘If we do it in the Premier League and the rest of Europe don’t do this, still we have a problem,

‘The best is before starting the competitions, stop the transfer window because it’s very silly.’

 

Premier League: Liverpool reject a third bid for Philippe Coutinho…

Philippe Coutinho will have to wait a little longer for a move away from Merseyside.

Liverpool have rejected a third bid from Barcelona for the Brazillian attacking midfielder. The fee was believed to be in the region of £114m.

Staying put…for now: Liverpool have rejected another bid for midfielder Philippe Coutinho

Just last week, the Reds rejected a £90m bid for Coutinho from the Spanish giants, leading the 25-year-old to submit a transfer request.

The La Liga side have moved for the Brazillian after selling star player and Coutinho’s fellow countryman Neymar to Paris St Germain for a world record fee of £200m.

Barca are eyeing Coutinho as a replacement for Neymar, who joined PSG for £200m this summer

Coutinho has missed the opening two games of the season for Liverpool with a back injury and the club has repeatedly stressed that his isn’t for sale. He is also set to miss the home match with Crystal Palace on Saturday (August 19).

However, Barca have previously said that they are close to signing him.

Coutinho had signed a new five-year deal at Anfield in January and it didn’t include a release clause.

Football Report: Arsenal end United’s 25-match unbeaten run…

Granit Xhaka’s shot was helped in off the back of Manchester United’s Ander Herrera (Photo credit: Getty Images)

It was a largely uneventful first half at The Emirates, however Granit Xhaka opened the scoring with a deflected shot from distance on 54 minutes.

The Gunners then doubled their lead three minutes later after Danny Welbeck headed home against his former club after a cross from Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

United manager Jose Mourinho opted to introduce Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard to the action in a bid to resuce the game for the visitors, but this was to no avail.

The result not only reignites The Gunners’ chase for a place in next season’s Champions League, but also ends an unwanted record for Gunner’s manager Arsene Wenger against Jose Mourinho.

In the past 15 competitive meetings between the pair, Wenger has never beaten a team managed by Mourinho. Wenger’s only victory against the Portuguese manager came in the Community Shield in 2015. Mourinho has won eight times, while the other seven have ended in draws.

The result also means that Arsenal remain sixth in the Premier League table, two points behind United and six points behind Manchester City, who occupy fourth spot, although the Gunners have a game in hand over both sides.