Owners of the 20 Premier League clubs met for the first time on Thursday at a meeting in central London.
Although the ongoing legal process involving Manchester City’s 115 alleged breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules was likely of interest to those in attendance, there was plenty more on the agenda.
A number of undisclosed proposed rule changes, including one concerning the Premier League’s ‘databank’, were dropped after feedback from clubs.
However, according to The Sunday Times, the 20 clubs voted in favour of a significant change relating to transfer windows.
It is said that, starting next season, the summer transfer window for Premier League clubs will close before the first game of the campaign.
Spurs chairman Daniel Levy pictured after Thursday’s Premier League shareholders meeting
West Ham United vice chair Karren Brady also attended this week’s meeting in central London
Under this new agreement, next summer’s deadline would be August 15.
The window closed on August 30 this year – two weeks after the season had started.
Premier League clubs are apparently hopeful that other top leagues around Europe will now follow suit to avoid a situation whereby English clubs could sell but not buy players in the second half of August.