Swansea boss Paul Clement pleads Premier League to shut the transfer window before the season begins amid Gylfi Sigurdsson speculation

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Premier League chiefs have held talks over shutting the transfer window early next year to stop player sagas dominating the start of season.

Swansea City manager Paul Clement revealed the topic was discussed at a meeting last week as he deals with the fall-out of Everton's protracted interest in his star man Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Clement had to leave Sigurdsson out of his team at the weekend and there are similar issues with Philippe Coutinho at Liverpool and Virgil van Dijk at Southampton.

Swansea boss Paul Clement wants the Premier League to shut the transfer window sooner

His dealings are put on hold as he waits for Everton to cough up £50m for Gylfi Sigurdsson

Now, Premier League managers are calling for the window to shut before the season starts after a majority agreed with a proposal at their annual meeting in London last Tuesday.

'There's frustration here and I'm sure Southampton are frustrated too,' Clement said. 'That's why I think if the window is shut before the season starts everything is sorted out and we can get on with the football.

'At our managers' meeting at the Premier League, we spoke about it (closing the window earlier). The majority of clubs are in favour but maybe all of us have to be for it to go through. It could happen next year.' 

Clement revealed the topic of closing the window earlier was discussed at manager's meeting

Southampton left out Virgil van Dijk for Saturday's clash with Swansea amid his speculation

Clement's own transfer plans are on hold as he waits for Everton to agree a fee for Sigurdsson which is expected to be close to the £50million mark.

The Swansea boss and Southampton manager Mauricio Pellegrino both left out their star men in Saturday's unremarkable 0-0 draw between two clubs struggling with the uncertainty surrounding want-away players.

Saints want Van Dijk to return to training as and when interest from the likes of Liverpool and Chelsea stops unsettling him.

And captain Steven Davis says the Dutchman's team-mates will welcome him back 'with open arms' should he return to their Staplewood training base this week.

Southampton's players are used to transfer sagas by now having witnessed a long list of big names exit in recent years.

'It's a situation he's got to deal with himself,' Davis said. 'Nobody knows what's going through his head.

'But we're all there to support him and we'd welcome him back with open arms — that goes without question because of the quality that he's got.'

Van Dijk could leave for Liverpool or Chelsea but he will be welcomed if not, says Steven Davis