January Transfer Window Could Be Abolished as European Clubs Look to Avoid Losing Players Mid-Season

The January transfer window could be abolished as top European clubs look to avoid losing players midway through the season, the Sun have reported.

This follows confirmation that the summer transfer window in the Premier League will now be reduced by three weeks so that all deals are completed before the start of the season.

The decision came following a majority vote of 14 in favour, with clubs attempting to prevent players switching to rival teams with the season already underway.

And now a number of Europe's biggest clubs are said to be planning the end of the January transfer window.

The winter window was introduced in 2003 by UEFA as a response to the threat posed to contract stability by the repercussions of the Bosman ruling.

But clubs are now hopeful that that it could be removed entirely due to the threat of losing key players at a crucial point in the season.

Both Arsene Wenger and Jose Mourinho have previously expressed their indifference towards the January window, the latter claiming that it is only useful to sign “a specific player who is in the end of his contract” or for “an emergency buy”.

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Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Juventus are reportedly in a agreement that the window is obsolete, and are expected to push for a return to just one yearly, summer transfer window.

Clubs are believed to be concerned by the relentless spending of Paris Saint-Germain, and feel that ending the January window could potentially set back the affluent Ligue 1 outfit.

If clubs successfully lobby with UEFA and FIFA, the January transfer window could be closed by 2019.