MANCHESTER, England (AP) — The Premier League transfer window at the end of the season will open earlier than usual to allow clubs participating in the Club World Cup to sign players beforehand.
England's top-flight clubs voted on Thursday to temporarily open the window from June 1-10. The Club World Cup in the United States runs from June 15-July 13.
The traditional window will open on June 16 and close on Sept. 1.
The expanded 32-team Club World Cup features some of the biggest names such as Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
Last October, FIFA agreed on interim transfer rules to help players change teams before the tournament. It opens the door for players whose contracts expire on June 30 to sign early as free agents.
Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold is out of contract at the end of the season and has been linked with a move to Real Madrid. Theoretically, he would be eligible to play for the Spanish giant in the latter stages of the tournament if he signed a deal before then.
Other high-profile players out of contract at season's end include Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk, as well as Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne.
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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
James Robson, The Associated Press
