Closing transfer window early would be a stupid idea, says Martin Samuel on Sunday Supplement
Sunday 20 August 2017 12:07, UK
Closing the transfer window before the start of the Premier League season is a "stupid idea", says Martin Samuel on the Sunday Supplement.
It is understood talks will take place between every club next month about whether to change the deadline of the current window, which closes nearly three weeks after the first game of the season.
Clubs from other European leagues, including Spain and Italy, would still be allowed to sign players from England in line with their own domestic deadlines.
Karren Brady told The Debate show in midweek that 17 of the 20 Premier League clubs had been "broadly in favour" of the idea when debated in a meeting in March, but the Daily Mail's Samuel says it is ill thought-out and "stupid".
Samuel said on Sunday Supplement: "I think it's a stupid idea, a terribly stupid idea. Because it doesn't do anything you think it would do; it doesn't actually stop clubs being interfered with, like the Philippe Coutinho situation, Barcelona aren't going away.
"The more you shorten the transfer window, the more panicked everything becomes. So we say that closing the window before the season enables clubs to do their business early, but they will do their business early in a frenzy.
"Particularly for a team who is promoted, it gives them such a short amount of time to review and rebuild their squad. I can't understand why any team that considers itself a yo-yo club would vote for it."
Samuel adds that clubs need to self-police their spending if they want to make a difference to the transfer market, and references Manchester City's pursuit of West Brom defender Jonny Evans as an example.
"If you wanted to curtail transfers between English clubs, you just need the same sort of agreement when it comes to tapping up managers, where you just don't do it.
"I noticed Pep Guardiola said at the weekend that this is a good idea, that this will lead to more certainty. Well then: leave Jonny Evans alone. It's your responsibility. If you think that is a rotten thing to do, a damaging thing to do, well don't do it!
"They always want rules to protect them from themselves. Financial fair play, for example, they say: 'Oh! We must be protected from spending all of this money!" Well no, just don't spend all the money, take a bit of responsibility for your actions."
The debate has raised concerns that Premier League sides would be unable to sign reinforcements, or replacements, which could lead to a competitive disadvantage.
Transfer windows in January would be unaffected as current proposals only relate to the summer months.
The Mail's chief sports writer Samuel insists the idea will create more problems than it will solve, and will not stop clubs like Barcelona coming in for the Premier League's best players.
"It solves nothing with the Coutinho business, because Liverpool keep saying no, and Barcelona keep coming back. Liverpool can keep saying no right until the end of the window, and the transfer won't take place, so why do you need a rule?
"Barcelona can still come in, because their window isn't closed, and if they do decide to sell near the end of August, they couldn't replace him!
"So it only works one way. It's a really poorly thought-out idea, because it doesn't sort out the problems it purports to solve, and creates a whole new raft of problems."
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