Arsene Wenger has long been an advocate of closing the window before competitive action begins, and that stance is likely to have hardened after Arsenal were engaged in several last-minute deals over recent transfer windows.

The Arsenal manager was recently quoted as saying “That’s why I believe it’s important that we close [the transfer window] before the championship starts. Even in the games, you sit there before the games and even in players’ minds they have no clarity. Are they in? Are they out? Are they half in? Are they half out? Are they tapped up in the afternoon of the game by people who want to get them out?

“It’s not the way to work and it’s uncomfortable. Every single manager in the league would agree that it’s time to kick that out before the season starts and not continue to have players in the dressing room who are half out and half in.”

From next season, the window will close at 17:00 BST on the Thursday before the Premier League season begins.

Premier League clubs have voted to close next summer’s transfer window before the season starts.

Managers have complained that the ability for players to move when the season is under way causes disruption to their squads and preparations.

The vote was not unanimous and clubs will still be able to sell players until the end of the normal window.

The window across Europe runs until 31 August. The Premier League’s move means that while clubs will be able to sell until that date, buying activity will cease on 9 August for the 2018-19 season.

European leagues will still be able to buy and sell until 31 August, while the Football League’s window also remains unaltered.

Football League bosses have indicated they could follow the Premier League’s move but require further dialogue with stakeholders before a decision is made.

The number of Premier League clubs who wanted the change is not yet clear but at least 14 of the 20 must have voted for the move in order for a change to take place.

Keenos