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La Liga's transfer deadline was again moved so that it now closes on Feb. 1 (23.00 GMT) at midnight. The league sent a news release on Monday confirming the Feb. 1 date and confirming that a previous league document which specified that the transfer window in Spain would be open from Jan. 4-29, was incorrect. The first document was sent to media outlets on Dec. 16 and signed by the league's legal director, Maria Jose Lopez Lorenzo. The clarification now leaves Real Madrid and Barcelona with three more days to strengthen their squads and puts the window's closing on the same date as other European leagues. Madrid, and city rivals Atletico, have been handed a transfer ban from next summer by FIFA for breaking regulations over the transfer of young players, while Barcelona have recently returned from a ban of their own over the same issue. Monday's deadline means that clubs in Spain will be able to coordinate with Premier League clubs, whose deadline is the same. Real Madrid, in particular, could move for Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea before the deadline ends, with the Spain goalkeeper having almost joined the club in a swap deal for Keylor Navas at the end of the summer window. Real have also been linked with deals for Juventus forward Alvaro Morata, Schalke's Leroy Sane and Boca's Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, while Barcelona's search for a striker has seen them in talks over Celta Vigo's Nolito. Information from ESPN FC's Spain correspondent Dermot Corrigan was used in this report.
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