Chief executives, managers and heads of recruitment work long into the evening, trying to strike deals for players before the window closes.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the end to this window promises to be more of the same, with clubs working on deals right up to the 11th hour.
For those who leave their business to the very last minute, there are ways around the strict 11pm deadline in order to get moves over the line.
How can clubs extend the deadline to get a deal done?
Clubs can legally circumvent the 11pm deadline by providing their league with a deal sheet up to two hours before the window closes.
This acts as a one-off extension for the buying club, affording them additional time to fill out the details required in FIFA’s Transfer Matching System, which cross-references details of any international transfer to ensure figures and fees are identical on both the selling and purchasing side.
The deal sheet confirms that an agreement has been reached by all parties prior to the deadline, and that the clubs need additional time to complete all necessary documentation.
A Premier League club must submit the deal sheet to the Premier League before the 11pm deadline, otherwise it will not be accepted by the league and any potential move will be vetoed.
From the end of the deadline, clubs will have until 1am on Tuesday, October 17 to have all necessary documents forwarded to and ratified by the Premier League or EFL Board.
FIFA’s Transfer Matching System has a midnight deadline, but that only concerns international deals.
