The new year has arrived and the January transfer window has begun around the world. Contracts have already begun across the UK, with many teams actively signing new stars for the second half of the season.
Manchester City are already moving towards securing a move for Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo. In early December 2025, the title hopefuls began talks with the striker’s representatives regarding a £65 million release clause from the Cherries. Several other Premier League clubs are also in the process of identifying potential players to strengthen their squads for the second half of the 2025/26 season.
Here, Express Football provides details on when the transfer window starts and ends and everything you need to know about Deadline Day.
Has the January transfer window opened?
In short, yes. The January transfer window opened on Thursday 1st January for Scottish and English clubs.
Timings vary for other leagues, with the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship Clubs’ winter period beginning on Friday 2 January 2026.
When is the deadline?
Once again, the final day of the transfer window is different for men’s and women’s football. The deadline is Monday, February 2, 2026, with the Premier League window closing at 7pm.
Most major European leagues, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain, will also conclude on Monday 2 February 2026, although closing times vary by country.
The transfer windows for England, France, Germany and Italy are all due to end at 7pm UK time. Spain has a further four hours to complete the transfer, with the La Liga window closing at 11pm UK time.
For women’s football, deadline day is set for Tuesday 3 February 2026, ending at 11pm UK time.
Is it possible for clubs to sign players outside the January transfer window?
That’s certainly true. Players can still negotiate contracts with clubs outside the January transfer window, but they will not be eligible to play for a new team until the window restarts.
Free agents and loan contract status
Free agents differ from contracted players in that they can sign with a club at any time as long as they are not currently with any team. If a player becomes a free agent at the beginning of July, he can agree to a transfer to another club this month.
However, he cannot officially join the club until his current contract with the club ends. Regarding loan deals in England, Premier League clubs are not allowed to have more than one player on loan at the same time.
Clubs can register up to four players on loan in the same season, but cannot loan more than one player from the same club at the same time. The only restriction on Premier League clubs loaning players to each other is that players signed in January cannot be loaned out in the same transfer window in which they were signed.
EFL regulations give clubs more flexibility in securing temporary contracts with players, but only a maximum of five players can be included in the match-day squad. Clubs in the Championship, League One or League Two are prohibited from signing more than four players on loan in any season, with no more than two of those players aged 23 or over.
This is determined by calculating the player’s age as of June 30, the season before the loan occurs. Loans that subsequently become permanent do not count towards the club’s limit.
EFL clubs are allowed to take out an emergency loan if all of their professional goalkeepers are unable to play due to injury, suspension or international call-up.
