The transfer window will shut ­before the start of the season in sweeping new changes that are ­expected to be approved by the ­Premier League next month, ­Telegraph Sport has learned.

Representatives from the 20 ­top-flight clubs are to attend ­September’s shareholders’ meeting with the majority pushing for a new transfer deadline to be introduced, preventing managers from buying players after the season has got ­under way.

Telegraph Sport has discovered that moves are well advanced and already at “approval level”, in a ­potentially huge development for English football which is likely to be implemented next year.

It will be proposed that the ­deadline is brought forward to the week before the start of the 2018-19 Premier League season, with almost all of the 20 clubs understood to be behind the idea.

Watford are believed to be one of the few clubs to oppose it, but the League is expecting a majority vote of over two thirds to force significant changes.