When does the January transfer window open?

The January transfer window is almost upon us and it seems that it could be one of the busiest and most unpredictable yet.

With Liverpool having already secured the signing of Cody Gakpo and the fans enjoying social media footage of the Dutchman arriving at the training facility, the starting gun has already been fired on the transfer window before it has officially begun.

Here is all that you need to know about the January transfer window which for the first time ever is coming immediately after a World Cup.

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When does the January transfer window open?

The January transfer window is going to open for clubs in England and Scotland on 1 January 2023. From then on, teams can complete the signings and departures of players. That is when Liverpool will be able to officially register Gakpo as a new player and use him in their next game after that date.

The January transfer window has different dates and timings for different European leagues, but it is also 1 January for the German Bundesliga and France's Ligue 1. In Serie A and LaLiga, the window opens on 2 January instead.

The games will be incredibly frequent throughout January and it will be a race against time for clubs to get players signed and into the squads. The window will then slam shut at 23:00 GMT on 31 January, meaning club executives and administrators will be scrambling around trying to get any potential deals over the line before the klaxon sounds.

Major European leagues also see the window slam shut on the same day, although in the Bundesliga it is at 17:00 GMT and in Serie A it is at 18:00 GMT.

Which players could move in January?

There could be some pretty big moves to enjoy in the January transfer window as there is a mixture of talented players that have fallen out of favour with their clubs, and players who have had a superb World Cup and are now the subject of much attention.

One of those is Sofyan Amrabat who could leave Fiorentina if the right offer comes in. Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have been heavily linked with him. Another is Hakim Ziyech who could leave Chelsea for more first-team minutes. AC Milan are keen but his wages are a stumbling block.

Whilst it is more likely for these moves to be made in the summer, big stars such as Jude Bellingham, Enzo Fernandes, Goncalo Ramos and Sergej Milinkovic-Savic could also be on the move. Memphis Depay could find himself returning to Manchester United to fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo, or they could make a rogue move for an unexpected player at any moment (think Odion Ighalo).