Quote Originally Posted by jon1959 View Post
Some deals may be done 'in principle' by clubs and agents weeks or even months before a transfer window opens - but they are the minority (the ones that get announced in the first few days of the window - like Ugbo and Goutas) and will be subject to final checks and contractual formalities. They cannot be signed and registered in advance of the window.

There may be some deals done 'in principle' like Ramsey (maybe Siopis) where the club and tame journalists expect a deal to go through because the player and club want it to happen - and discussed it long in advance - but there is still a risk that the player may not be able to get out of their current contract as expected or the proposed deal could be hijacked. It could all fall apart - and often does.

But to claim that most deals are done, dusted, and signed off weeks in advance, and just held back for a PR splash, and to keep Sky in rolling headlines, is nonsense.
Most are done weeks before the PR stuff , I’ve been told that by people who have been involved in transfer fees , it’s clearly not nonsense, but if you have anything that supports your case , by all means provide the proof.

That’s the thing, you’re just guessing the processes involved, like one or two others.