Deadline day change that impacts Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham as transfer window date moved

The January transfer window opened on New Year's Day - here's everything you need to know about how a big deadline day change impacts Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham

The January transfer window has just opened and Premier League clubs will enjoy a bit more time than usual to finalise their business.

The mid-season window, introduced in the 2002/03 season, offers teams the chance to bolster their squads and address any weak areas for the second half of the campaign. It usually spans a month, with the current window having opened on January 1, 2026.

However, this time around, Premier League sides will have a little extra time to complete any deals. This year, deadline day falls on Monday, February 2, with the Premier League window closing at 7pm UK time.

If a deal is struck between two clubs late in the day, the Premier League will allow some extra time for the necessary paperwork to be completed and submitted via a 'deal sheet'. Meanwhile, teams participating in any UEFA competition have until midnight on Thursday, February 5 to register their squads for the knockout stages.

That gives Mikel Arteta and Arsenal extra leeway if they feel the need to become active in the market late in the window, with the Gunners boss having already outlined his plans going into the period. London rivals Chelsea, Spurs, West Ham, Fulham, Brentford and Crystal Palace can also benefit from the date change.

Why does the transfer window close in February?

Last year's January window closed on February 3 - the latest it has ever shut. A February closing date is typically picked when January 31 falls on a weekend, which is also the case this time around with the month ending on a Saturday.

Do other European leagues have a later closing date?

Similar to the Premier League, Germany's Bundesliga and France's Ligue 1 both begin on January 1, while Italy's Serie A and Spain's La Liga have to wait an additional day for their windows to open on January 2.

However, their deadlines coincide at 7pm UK time on February 2, with the exception of Spain, which grants clubs an additional four hours to finalise their deals before its window closes at 11pm UK time.

In a major change from previous years, the January window will now close at the earlier time of 7pm - meaning Arsenal and other Premier League teams will have slightly less time to wrap up any loose ends on deadline day itself. It follows the decision to close the summer window at 7pm on September 1, which was brought in to allow club officials and staff a more manageable schedule on deadline day.

Which leagues are the exceptions?

Portugal enjoys an extra day for its transfer activities as the window doesn't close until February 3. The likes of Austria, Greece and Turkey all shut on February 6, while Switzerland’s remains open late until February 16.

Can clubs sign players or free agents after the deadline?

While signings can sometimes be announced outside a transfer window, a player won't be registered to play for their new team until the window reopens. Free agents, however, can sign for a club at any point, given they aren't contracted to another club.