January transfer window 2025 - when does it open and close? Deadline Day dates for Premier League, EFL, WSL and Europe

How does the January transfer window work? When is Deadline Day? What about in the WSL? When can players entering the final six months of their deal move on a free transfer? All of your pressing questions are answered along with a reminder of how you can follow it all on Sky Sports...

Thursday 30 January 2025 11:50, UK

The January transfer window is open, allowing clubs across the leagues to seek reinforcements and reshape their squads.

Who will do business as they look to strengthen their position at the top or pull away from trouble? Follow all the latest news in our Transfer Centre live blog.

Looking for dedicated news about your club? Bookmark your Premier League club's page here for live updates and transfer developments.

Follow an EFL club? Track the latest news from the Championship, League One and League Two. For WSL news, Sky Sports has you covered with a dedicated live blog, and you'll find Scottish Premiership live news right here.

When did the 2025 January transfer window open?

The January transfer window for English and Scottish clubs opened on Wednesday January 1, 2025.

When is Deadline Day?

Deadline Day actually falls on Monday February 3, 2025. The English and Scottish windows close at 11pm UK time.

When does the winter window close around Europe?

The window for most major European leagues - including France, Germany, Italy and Spain - also closes on Monday February 3, 2025 though times vary.

Further afield, the transfer window in Turkey closes on Tuesday February 11, 2025 and the window shuts in Saudi Arabia on January 30.

What about in the WSL?

The winter window for Women's Super League and Women's Championship clubs opens on Wednesday January 1, 2025 and closes at 11pm on Thursday January 30, 2025.

The WSL and Women's Championship window closes at 11pm UK time.

Can clubs sign players outside the transfer window?

Signings are often announced outside a transfer window, but a player will not be able to be registered to play for their new side until the window opens.

What about free agents?

Free agents can sign for a team at any time, as they are not contracted to another club.

If a player is to become a free agent at the start of July, they can agree a transfer to a foreign club but will not officially be their player until their contract is over.

How many loan players can clubs sign?

The Premier League Handbook details that Premier League clubs may not register more than two players on loan at any one time.

The maximum number of loans a club can register in the same season is four, and a club cannot loan more than one player from the same club at any one time.

Premier League clubs cannot loan to another Premier League club a player they have acquired in the same transfer window.

A Premier League club is not allowed to loan not more than one of its goalkeepers to another Premier League club.

EFL regulations allow clubs more freedom to borrow players, but a maximum of five can be named in a matchday squad.

No club in the Championship, League One or League Two can sign more than four players on a temporary loan from another club in any season - and no more than two of those can be over the age of 23 (the deadline for determining a player's age is June 30 ahead of the season the loan takes place).

Any loan that later becomes a permanent transfer does not count towards a club's quota.

EFL clubs are allowed to make an emergency loan if all their professional goalkeepers are unavailable due to injury, suspension or international call-ups.