Premier League and EFL clubs are set to introduce a significant change to transfer deadline day this summer, amid growing calls for a more structured and manageable schedule for club administrators.

It has already been confirmed that there will be two transfer windows this year. The first will run from 1 to 10 June, providing an early opportunity for clubs to bolster their squads ahead of the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup. Chelsea and Manchester City are among the English clubs participating in the tournament, while Real Madrid are reportedly seeking to complete the signing of Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold in time for him to feature.

The main summer window is scheduled to open on 16 June and close on 1 September — once again several weeks into the new Premier League season.

However, The Daily Mail reports that a new agreement between the Premier League and the English Football League will see the transfer deadline brought forward to 7pm, four hours earlier than the traditional 11pm cut-off.

The proposed change is intended primarily to assist club officials involved in transfer administration, allowing them to operate within more conventional working hours and avoid the often-chaotic final hours of deadline day.

Under the new system, all relevant paperwork would need to be submitted to the Football Association by 7pm on deadline day in both the early and main windows.

Despite the rationale, the proposal has drawn criticism from some quarters. Certain clubs have expressed concern that an earlier closure could place English teams at a disadvantage, particularly if other European leagues maintain later deadlines. This could allow foreign clubs additional time to negotiate and finalise deals after English clubs are effectively shut out of the market.

There are suggestions that other top European leagues are also considering adjustments to their own transfer deadlines, potentially aligning with England’s revised schedule.

Nevertheless, there remains some frustration among English clubs over the reduced time available to conclude transfers on what is traditionally the busiest day of the window. Many fear that the earlier deadline may limit their ability to react to late developments and capitalise on last minute opportunities.