Deadline day in summer window set to be even more hectic after it is brought forward to August 9... just three weeks after World Cup when top stars are just back from holidays

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To paraphrase the 1974 hit by Bachman–Turner Overdrive: If you think the January transfer window was busy, you ain't seen nothing yet.

On a hectic deadline day alone, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham all rushed to wrap up multi-million pound deals, with the likes of Olivier Giroud and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leaving for pastures new.

Now, after a long month of will-he-won't-he, why-are-they, who-is-he, managers and players can finally focus on the second half of the season ahead of the World Cup.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang joined Arsenal on a busy deadline day for Premier League clubs

Eliaquim Mangala signed for Everton in the final few minutes of the January transfer window

But this January could prove the calm before the storm, with this summer's window set to be the busiest of any in recent memory.

An amendment to Premier League rules, voted for by clubs last year, will see the window close on August 9 – before the start of the season.

Rather than having until the end of August to improve their squads, this summer Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola and Co will have only three-and-a-half weeks to make their moves.

The World Cup final will take place at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on July 15, less than a month before the new Premier League season kicks off on August 11.

France international Olivier Giroud moved from Arsenal to Chelsea ahead of the World Cup

RB Leipzig central midfielfer Naby Keita has agreed to move to Liverpool in the summer

The transfer window closes even earlier, with Premier League clubs required to complete their deals by 5pm on Thursday August 9.

That leaves players less than a month to enjoy a holiday and return to training, while clubs will have only 25 days to make their enquiries, declare their interest and table their bids. 

Of course some will move earlier than that. Liverpool, for example have already secure a move for RB Leipzig's Naby Keita, while a host of free agents such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic will be able to sign pre-contract agreements between now and the summer.

Many Premier League targets will, of course, be eliminated from the finals before July 15, while many more won't play in Russia at all. 

But for those managers looking to use the World Cup as a scouting ground for new recruits, there will be little time to waste.