English Premier League clubs okays 5 substitution rule for 2022-23, transfer window dates out

The 20 clubs of the English Premier League on Thursday voted to approve a five substitution rule for the 2022-23 season. The authorities also confirmed that the summer transfer window will open on Friday June 10 and will close at 11pm on Thursday September 1.

Also read: US suffers 2-0 loss against Costa Rica, qualifies for FIFA World Cup anyway

Premier League clubs were allowed to make five substitutions in the 2019-20 season due to the fixture congestion during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, they returned to the original three-change rule in 2021-22. 

The clubs were allowed only three substitution in a match last season as extra changes fears that extra changes were seen as an advantage to the bigger clubs with deeper squads.

Also read: New attendance world record set as Barca thrash Real Madrid in Women’s CL

“Premier League Shareholders met today and discussed a range of matters. Clubs agreed to change the rules relating to substitute players. From next season, clubs will be permitted to use five substitutions, to be made on three occasions during a match, with an additional opportunity at half-time. A total of nine substitutes can be named on the team sheet,” the Premier League said.

No other major league in Europe has approved the five substitution rule.

The English football league also announced that it has changed COVID-19 testing protocol. Only symptomatic individuals to be tested from Monday.

Also read: Mohamed Salah to Zlatan Ibrahimovic: Stars to miss 2022 Qatar World Cup

“It was also confirmed that the Summer 2022 Transfer Window will open on 10 June and will close at 23:00 BST on 1 September in line with other European leagues. In addition, the Premier League has today updated its remaining COVID-19 measures.”

“From 4 April, the League will remove twice-weekly COVID-19 testing of players and staff and move to symptomatic testing only. Other key updates include the removal of the requirement for clinical passports to access previously restricted areas at training grounds and on match days as the Premier League returns to business-as-usual operations,” the authorities said. 

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had in December last year said that the five subsitution allowance would benefit the players in a hectic schedule. 

“We have to put the competition aside and don’t say that Man City has better subs than Burnley or whatever. Yes that’s probably true. But the problem is the intensity for a top-class footballer in England is definitely at the edge,” the German had said. 

Also read: From human rights to personal safety: F1 race in Saudi Arabia faces tough questions

Klopp’s rival Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, in December 2020, said, “All around the world it’s five substitutions, but here we believe we are more special people. We don’t protect the players, and that’s why it’s a disaster. In this calendar, especially. I will demand, if the people allow, we have to come back to five substitutions. If not, it’s difficult to sustain it.”

Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel had said that he ‘would love to push for five substitutions because five substitutions were made to protect the players when coronavirus popped up and made life difficult’. 

“I think the situation is very serious and very challenging so if we decided to keep on playing at least we should have five changes to control the load.”