UEFA chief hints at possible changes to transfer rules

By Mike Collett

MONACO (Reuters) - UEFA president Michel Platini said on Thursday he was unhappy with the transfer system and was considering asking for a review into possible changes.

Under current rules, players can be transferred from the close of the previous season until midnight on Aug 31. The window then re-opens on January 1 and closes again on January 31.

Though they cannot represent their new clubs in the Champions League or UEFA Cup if they have already appeared in the competition that season, they are free to play in domestic league football.

"I don't think a player should be able to play for two clubs in the same competition in the same season and I think we need to get the (UEFA) Strategic Committee to look at the whole idea," Platini told Reuters.

"I think that it is wrong that a player can play for two clubs in any competition, scoring a goal for one team one week and then scoring against them a few weeks later.

"I also think we have to look at both the summer and winter transfer windows. The season starts in many countries in July or early in August, yet the transfer window does not close till the end of August.

"Then we have another window in the middle of the season. I think we need to look at the way the system works."

The Strategic Committee met on Thursday to discuss a range of issues, including a ban on the transfers of minors -- players under 18 years of age.