Transfer Centre

Newcastle United boss Alan Pardew leads calls for shorter transfer window

By Liam Power, Reporter | 29 August 2012

Pardew calls for transfer window changes

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew calls for the transfer window to be shut before the season starts in order to create a level playing field.

Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew believes that the current transfer window gives an unfair advantage to bigger clubs.

Pardew has called for the window to end before the season officially starts in future to create a level playing field.

He told BBC Newcastle: "It's unsettling and unsavoury and it needs to be eliminated. It's really not fair. The transfer window should be shut before we kick a ball and that way everyone knows where they are.

"If you can't do your business in the summer, then I don't know why because there is plenty of time.

"The top three or four teams have a massive advantage. They can even play with you and say they are coming for one of your players but then not actually [do so]. I'm sure that goes on."

Newcastle have made four signings so far in a relatively low-key summer of spending on Tyneside, bringing in Vurnon Anita, Gael Bigirimana, Romain Amalfitano and Curtis Good.

The Magpies continue to be linked with the signature of French international full-back Mathieu Debuchy in one of the the summer's longest-running transfer stories.