CHAMPIONSHIP LOAN RULES AND RGULATIONS EXPLAINED

The loan market rules Cardiff City and Swansea City must adhere to and how it will affect their transfer planning
By Aidan McCartney and Joe Mewis


Friday 5th July 2019



All you need to know about the loan Regulations in the Championship


The summer transfer window is well under way with Championship clubs working hard to strengthen their squads ahead of the new season.

Cardiff City have already secured the services of Will Vaulks, Joe Day and Curtis Nelson while Swansea City made Jake Bidwell their first summer signing earlier this week.


Swansea boss Steve Cooper has already admitted his side will need to be "creative" in the loan market while further up the M4, Neil Warnock has not been shy in utilising the loan system during his tenure in the Welsh capital.


So what are the Rules and Regulations around loans?


When does the window close?

First up, teams will have until Thursday, August 8 at 5pm to complete any transfer deals, whether they are loans or permanent moves.

This comes after the Championship moved in-line with the Premier League's transfer deadline, as top flight clubs moved to have the summer window done and dusted before their season kicks off that weekend.


How many loan players can a club sign?

According to the EFL's lengthy list of regulations - section 54.4 to be precise - there are no limits on the total number of loan players a club can sign.


How many loan players can play at once?

This is where the limits come in, as a maximum of five loan players can be included on the 18-man teamsheet for any one match]. Should a team bring in an emergency goalkeeper this is reduced to four players.


How many loan players can you sign from one club?

In order to stop the system being abused, there are also limits regarding the number of players you can sign on loan from one club.

Only four players from a single side can be brought in, of which no more than two are allowed to be over the age of 23.


Can free agents be signed after the loan window closes?

No. Once the loan window shuts, no free agents can be signed until the next window opens.


Can players be signed up to a permanent deal during the loan window?

In theory no, but there's a somewhat of a loophole here, as clubs can sign a player on loan with the option to sign them permanently when the window opens in January 2019.


Can players be sold during the loan window?

Teams in the Championship are able to sell players to clubs outside England, where the permanent window is open until the end of August.

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Always thought free agents can move anytime as dont have contract? If not allowed is that not contrevining EU employment laws?

Always thought free agents can move anytime as dont have contract? If not allowed is that not contrevining EU employment laws?

Yes I believe that is the case, free agents can be signed at anytime

If I was Tan,I’d tell Warnock to get three loan players with option to buy rather than give him 15m. He’s proved to be better in loan department than buying players outright!

Always thought free agents can move anytime as dont have contract? If not allowed is that not contrevining EU employment laws?

Yes I believe that is the case, free agents can be signed at anytime

I also thought that free agents could be signed once the loan/transfer windows were shut. Only a few seasons ago we signed Sol Bamba and Junior Hoilett as free agents after the transfer window shut. Also I have I always thought that the league must allow the option of free agents or they could be in breach of restraint of trade laws.

If I was Tan,I’d tell Warnock to get three loan players with option to buy rather than give him 15m. He’s proved to be better in loan department than buying players outright!

Now that is what you call thinking outside the box

Always thought free agents can move anytime as dont have contract? If not allowed is that not contrevining EU employment laws?

I agree stopping someone from plying their trade has to break some kind of employment law?

Always thought free agents can move anytime as dont have contract? If not allowed is that not contrevining EU employment laws?

I agree stopping someone from plying their trade has to break some kind of employment law?

Not that we will be in EU much longer?

Always thought free agents can move anytime as dont have contract? If not allowed is that not contrevining EU employment laws?

I agree stopping someone from plying their trade has to break some kind of employment law?

They can move at any time but you can't register them to play except during windows. You could sign a free agent and start paying him in September ,but you couldn't register and play him until January

Always thought free agents can move anytime as dont have contract? If not allowed is that not contrevining EU employment laws?

I agree stopping someone from plying their trade has to break some kind of employment law?

They can move at any time but you can't register them to play except during windows. You could sign a free agent and start paying him in September ,but you couldn't register and play him until January

Why on earth would anyone pay someone 10k+ a week to sit and do nothing until January?

Always thought free agents can move anytime as dont have contract? If not allowed is that not contrevining EU employment laws?

I agree stopping someone from plying their trade has to break some kind of employment law?

They can move at any time but you can't register them to play except during windows. You could sign a free agent and start paying him in September ,but you couldn't register and play him until January

Why on earth would anyone pay someone 10k+ a week to sit and do nothing until January?

Welcome to SJS world, Allan

To be fair, in his usual sage-like way, I think he was just pointing out it was 'possible' but unlikely

I've taken a look and it appears the Championship have taken on a lot of the Premier League rules and regulations for 2019/20 and effectively each team has to hand in it's working squad by the August deadline. After that, additions can only be made during the January Transfer Window; whether they be via transfer, loan or recruitment of 'free' agents

Is this the start of Premier League 2?

Always thought free agents can move anytime as dont have contract? If not allowed is that not contrevining EU employment laws?

I agree stopping someone from plying their trade has to break some kind of employment law?

They can move at any time but you can't register them to play except during windows. You could sign a free agent and start paying him in September ,but you couldn't register and play him until January

Why on earth would anyone pay someone 10k+ a week to sit and do nothing until January?

Nobody would but the point he was making was there’s no rule against it so there isn’t any laws being broken.

Always thought free agents can move anytime as dont have contract? If not allowed is that not contrevining EU employment laws?

I agree stopping someone from plying their trade has to break some kind of employment law?

They can move at any time but you can't register them to play except during windows. You could sign a free agent and start paying him in September ,but you couldn't register and play him until January

Why on earth would anyone pay someone 10k+ a week to sit and do nothing until January?

Well no they wouldn't generally Alan. I was just saying that this means that it wouldn't be restricting the player's employment rights and that it would be possible without breaking the law or the rules.

Well no they wouldn't generally Alan. I was just saying that this means that it wouldn't be restricting the player's employment rights and that it would be possible without breaking the law or the rules.

TBH I get the point. I was unaware that the Championship had changed it's registration rules in line with the PL meaning we couldn't have a Bamba/Hoilett situation again.

But has you say it is possible to sign a free agent outside the transfer window (so no restraint of trade) but they couldn't be registered to play until January.

Always thought free agents can move anytime as dont have contract? If not allowed is that not contrevining EU employment laws?

I agree stopping someone from plying their trade has to break some kind of employment law?

They can move at any time but you can't register them to play except during windows. You could sign a free agent and start paying him in September ,but you couldn't register and play him until January

Why on earth would anyone pay someone 10k+ a week to sit and do nothing until January?

Well no they wouldn't generally Alan. I was just saying that this means that it wouldn't be restricting the player's employment rights and that it would be possible without breaking the law or the rules.

I know it wont be restricting movement but my point was that if you cannot play a free agent after window closes in August, then there's no point in signing players until January, as you have to pay wages, is there? So effectively those players are unemployable in UK until then

I know it wont be restricting movement but my point was that if you cannot play a free agent after window closes in August, then there's no point in signing players until January, as you have to pay wages, is there? So effectively those players are unemployable in UK until then

Just wondering could they play for a League 1 or 2 side?

I know it wont be restricting movement but my point was that if you cannot play a free agent after window closes in August, then there's no point in signing players until January, as you have to pay wages, is there? So effectively those players are unemployable in UK until then

Just wondering could they play for a League 1 or 2 side?

Good point suspect not as most efl rules apply throughout leagues but guess can have different for lower leagues. If need be

Is the loan window end date different to the transfer window end date then??