How deadline day works

How does a club begin the process of completing a player signing?

In order to register a player, clubs have to send the Premier League all the documents relating to the transfer, including the contract, the transfer agreement, permission to work in the UK (if required), international clearance if transferring from abroad as well as any transfer levy that may apply.

As the transfer deadline approaches, clubs are asked whether they are planning to complete any business so that the Premier League’s Football Department is prepared. The office is staffed late into the night to answer any queries from clubs but generally they will conclude the deal club to club and then submit the paperwork.

What is the Premier League’s role in the transfer process?

Once the paperwork is received, it is checked against the Premier League and FA rules. In some cases the transfer needs to comply with FIFA regulations, too. If there are any issues the club is contacted for clarification or more information accordingly.

The Premier League will then advise the club if the player is registered or not and whether the signing is pending further to the receipt of additional documentation, for example; international clearance or an amendment. This check is completed straightaway because clubs want to know as soon as possible whether or not all the necessary paperwork is in order.

It does get busy. In one window last year, approximately 30 transfers came through in the space of an hour. Staff will not go home until everything is checked and signed off.

What is the ‘deal sheet’?

The deal sheet was introduced two years ago. Clubs sometimes conclude deals at the last minute and it is not always easy for them to get everything completed and sent over by 11pm. The deal sheet allows a club to confirm that a deal has been reached in order to allow for additional time to submit the remaining documentation.

The sheet cannot be used prior to 9pm and needs to arrive fully completed before the transfer window closes. Once the sheet arrives, clubs have got until 1am in which to submit the full paperwork. But if a club are looking to complete an international transfer, it still has to comply with the FIFA Transfer Matching System (TMS) deadline of midnight.

What’s that?

When there is an international transfer, the buying and selling clubs have to register it on the TMS in order for international clearance to be generated.

The buying club have to upload all the information to the system and the foreign club have to match all the details.

What are the rules governing the third-party ownership of players?

The Premier League outlawed third-party ownership of players in 2007. They need to be satisfied that any player joining a Premier League club has no third party interests in his registration rights in order for him to be formally registered.

The PL says the practice threatens the integrity of competitions, reduces the flow of transfer income into the sport and has the potential to exert external influence on player transfer decisions. A club needs to own 100% of a player’s registration and so-called ‘economic rights’ cannot be split out.

Is all business still done via fax?

There are three different ways in which clubs can send documents through. This is helpful to the clubs because they might be having difficulty in getting through with one of the methods.

The fax machine is still there and it does come in very handy. The PL also has desktop faxes and accept scanned documents via e-mail.

If there is a problem and a club does not meet the 11pm deadline then the Premier League Board has the ability to either refuse the application or grant an application and, if thought necessary, impose conditions by which the club making the application and the player shall be bound.