When does the January transfer window close in Scotland? Deadline date and time explained for Scottish clubs

January can often prove a difficult month to get deals done but Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen and Hibs are all in the market

Football fans in Scotland will be keeping a close eye on their club's ins and outs during the late stages of the winter transfer window.

The mid-season opening of the transfer market allows Scottish clubs to take stock of their squads ahead of the all important second half of the campaign.

The opening of the window coincided with the English Premier League, Germany's Bundesliga and France's Ligue 1, with Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A starting up dealings from 4 January.

Jeremie Frimpong has signed for Bayer Leverkusen this January transfer window. (Pic: Getty Images)

There is always plenty of speculation around, and often deals left until the last minute, so when does the window actually close?

When does the January transfer window close?

Though it is well known throughout football as the January transfer window, the period in which clubs can trade players often runs into February - as is the case this year.

The transfer window for Scottish clubs closes at midnight on Monday 1 February.

That’s an hour after English Premier League and English Football League clubs, which only have until 11pm to conclude their business.

Other leagues around Europe also close their transfer windows on the same day as Scotland and England but at different times.

The Bundesliga and Ligue 1 windows shut at 5pm, Serie A closes its transfer activity at 7pm and La Liga clubs have until 10.59pm.

Can deals be done after this deadline?

Due to the nature of the transfer window, many deals are done close to the deadline - and sometimes clubs may not announce a transfer until after the deadline has passed.

Some even wait until the following day due to the late finish for managers, players, agents and staff at both the club and the respective league the club is associated with.

Clubs are able to sign free agents after the deadline has passed.

Can soon to be out of contract players talk to other clubs?

Players, meanwhile, who are entering the last few months of their contracts are able to start negotiations with another club if they want to make a change in the summer.

More than 100 top flight players are out of contract at the end of the current 2020/21 season across the Scottish Premier League clubs.

They are free to start talking to different clubs regarding their futures and able to put pen to paper on pre-contracts ahead of the summer.

What deals are there to be done?

January can often prove a difficult month to get deals done but that doesn't stop clubs from trying to shift players out and bring in that star player to improve the side's fortunes.

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has already agreed deals for Scott Wright, Jack Simpson and Nnamdi Ofoborh and is reportedly monitoring Fashion Sakala and Juan Alegria.

Celtic are looking to bolster their forward options following the departure of Jeremie Frimpong to Bayer Leverkusen, while reinforcements are required at the other end of the pitch too after injury to Christopher Jullien.

Some deals have already been done and with plenty of talk around the futures of some of the game's brightest stars there's sure to be a few twists and turns before the window closes on 1 February.