Transfer Deadline Day: What is a deal sheet?

Transfer Deadline Day is a popular date on the football calendar for supporters as clubs up and down the country seek to finalise their squads ahead for the season ahead.

Transfer negotiations can go to the wire on Deadline Day as the final details are thrashed out to complete last minute deals.

Some transfers only go through at the final hour, with deal sheets allowing clubs to confirm a deal has been done prior to the deadline but that extra time is required to submit full documentation.

We take a look at how transfer deal sheets work and how they are utilised by football clubs on Deadline Day.

When does the transfer window close?

The 2024 summer transfer window will close at 23:00 BST in England and Scotland.

What is a deal sheet?

A deal sheet allows clubs to confirm that a transfer deal has been reached but that extra time is needed to submit the remaining documentation.

How much time does a deal sheet add on?

Transfer deal sheets can only be used following 21:00 and need to be completed prior to the 23:00 deadline.

Once deal sheets are submitted, clubs have a further two hours to complete full documentation before 01:00.

Can you submit deal sheets for foreign transfers?

For transfers involving foreign players, clubs are only given an additional one hour to complete the full paperwork in order to comply with FIFA's Transfer Matching system deadline of 00:00.

High profile deal sheet signings

Enzo Fernandez - Benfica to Chelsea (£107m - January 2023)

Chelsea had a deal sheet sorted for Enzo Fernandez with the Argentina World Cup winner's £107m move from Benfica only going through on deadline day of the January transfer window in 2023.

This deal sheet application enabled Chelsea to have more time to complete all the necessary paperwork to acquire Fernandez, in a move which stood as the British transfer record until Chelsea broke it again by signing Moises Caicedo for £115m from Brighton in August 2023.