January 2026 transfer window deadline and change impacting Prem clubs | Football | Sport
Manchester City’s big-money move for Nico Gonzalez was completed this time last year (Image: Getty)
As the winter transfer window draws to a close, Premier League clubs are scrambling to finalise their last-minute deals. Whether it’s a bid to win the title, secure a spot in Europe or stave off relegation, there’s plenty of incentive for investment this month. Several high-profile deals have already been completed, some even in the first half of January. Antoine Semenyo made an immediate impact at Manchester City, scoring on his debut after a £65million move from Bournemouth, while Tottenham splashed out £35m for Conor Gallagher and sold Brennan Johnson to Crystal Palace for a similar amount.
This time last year, many clubs were racing against the clock to bring in new signings. Aston Villa secured Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United just under the wire, while Manchester City’s acquisition of Nico Gonzalez and Spurs’ loan deal for Mathys Tel were among the transactions finalised on deadline day itself. Many fans will be eagerly awaiting news of that crucial late deal. Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s transfer deadline day.
When is transfer deadline day?
Traditionally, the January transfer window closes on January 31. However, this year is different, with Premier League clubs given until Monday, February 2, to sign new players.
Even if they fail to do all their planned business by deadline day, clubs will still be able to sign free agents outside the window if they have space in their 25-man squad. This has happened in previous seasons, for example, when Diego Costa joined Wolves in September 2022.
When are the deadlines for other leagues?
The transfer window also closes on February 2 in France, Germany, Italy and Spain, among other leagues. Some clubs have a bit more time to purchase, though, meaning Premier League clubs can still sell players to those leagues for a bit longer.
Portugal’s window shuts on February 3, while Greece, Turkey and Austria have until February 6, and a few other European leagues have even longer windows. One worth watching is Major League Soccer in the United States, where the window doesn’t shut until 27 March.
Taty Castellanos joined West Ham in one of the Premier League’s big-money January deals (Image: West Ham United FC/West Ham United FC via Getty Images)
What happened on deadline day last year?
Last year saw a hectic finish to the transfer window for Premier League clubs, though some of the biggest deals were finalised before deadline day itself. The largest in financial terms was Jhon Duran’s £71m move from Aston Villa to Al-Nassr on 31 January, with Omar Marmoush’s £59m transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt to Manchester City sealed just over a week earlier.
On the final day of the transfer window, Nico Gonzalez’s £50m switch from Porto to Manchester City was the most significant. There were also a couple of high-profile striker signings, with the players loaned back to their former clubs for the remainder of the season: Eli Junior Kroupi moved from Lorient to Bournemouth and Stefanos Tzimas transferred from Nurnberg to Brighton.
Which Premier League teams might be busy on deadline day?
Certain clubs have more incentive to be active than others – for example, Manchester United may hesitate to splash out with interim boss Michael Carrick in the dugout and no permanent appointment secured. Liverpool will need to decide whether to open their wallets again after a big-spending summer was followed by injuries to key players.
We’ve already witnessed substantial fees paid by clubs further down the table, with West Ham acquiring strikers Taty Castellanos and Pablo Felipe, as well as loan deals like Facundo Buonanotte’s move to Leeds. However, one thing is certain: it’s unlikely to be a quiet day.
