Premier opposition to transfer windows

The Premier League have backed the Football League's fight against the proposal by Fifa to impose domestic transfer windows.

The Football league have claimed they will defy any such restrictions on transfer activity because of the financial implications they could have in the wake of the ITV Digital crisis. And yesterday they won the support of the English élite, when a meeting of Premier League chairmen came out in favour of the Football Association mounting a "full and vigorous campaign to bring all their influence to bear on football's world governing body before the start of next season".

A Premier League spokesman said: "The Premier League has always supported the Football League over this issue, but as things stand we are reluctantly being forced to implement Fifa's rules on transfer windows. We have therefore charged the FA with responsibility to use the position and influence they have on Fifa committees, and as a national association, to mount a full-blooded lobbying campaign to get these rules changed."

The Premier League is in favour of a dual system where transfer windows can be imposed on deals between clubs of different countries. But they, along with the League and the Professional Footballers' Association, are against windows being imposed on domestic deals between clubs in the same country.

Meanwhile, Premier League officials have reiterated their decision to bar any move by the Old Firm to join the English top flight. A Premier League spokesman maintained that the division will remain a closed shop. "There is simply no necessity to tamper with the make-up of Europe's most successful league," he said.