FIFA has bowed to pressure from national football leagues by relaxing the rules on signing out-of-contract players outside of the new transfer windows.
Clubs are now allowed to sign players who were out of contract before the end of the transfer window on August 31st.
FIFA had previously said that clubs could not sign players until the transfer window reopened in the New Year.
But following pressure from national leagues - including the English, German and Italian federations - FIFA have opted to relax the rule.
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Clubs will not, however, be allowed sign players who have their contracts terminated by another club or who resign from another club between the transfer windows.
AFP