The January transfer window is now open, and already clubs are moving to bring in fresh talent for the second half of the season.
Crystal Palace, for example, wasted no time in splashing �35 million on former Tottenham Hotspur man Brennan Johnson, who has already played his first Premier League game for his new employers.
But all sides do not need to be as eager as the Eagles in tying up their business. Heres how long clubs have left to get those big-money moves finalised.
When does the January transfer window close for Premier League clubs in 2026?
The winter window officially opened on New Years Day for clubs in the Premier League and the English Football League.
And although the January transfer window is this periods most-used moniker, the deadline this time around actually stretches into February.
Clubs will therefore have until Monday 2 February to conclude their final pieces of business, before setting sail towards the end of the season.
Thankfully, for sleep fans, there will be no need to glue yourself to Sky Sports News until the early hours, as has been the case in previous years, with the window shutting at a respectable 7pm UK time.
Why does the January transfer window end in February?
The window spilling over into February is not a new occurrence, with it similarly slamming shut on 3 February last year.
Twelve months ago, the reasons for this were less clear, with 31 January falling on a Friday, but it makes more sense this time around.
The last day in January this year falls on a Saturday, so 2 February represents the next available working day.
Do all leagues work on the same January transfer window schedule?
There are some outliers across the world, and precise timings may differ, but as a general rule, the top leagues across the likes of France, Germany, Italy and Spain are all following the same timetable.
The summer transfer window has something of an afterparty for shifting those, often older, players who have not found a buyer in Europe, with nations like Saudi Arabia giving their clubs an extended window to conclude deals after the European deadline.
That is not the case in January, however, with the Saudi Pro League window opening four days later than Europe, and closing on the same date in February.
Can players be signed after the transfer deadline?
Teams are still able to sign free agents after the window closes, provided they have space in their squad list.
But much to the relief of the Fabrizio Romanos and David Ornsteins of the world, most transfer business grinds to a halt when the window closes.
Clubs in England are then forced to wait until 15 June to do any deals with currently contracted players.
