When is the transfer deadline day for 2018? What big deals can we expect?

The summer transfer window is rapidly coming to an end as clubs across Europe scramble around to do some late business.

Several sides in the top flight are still keen to bring players in with Chelsea set to be one of the busier clubs between now and the window slamming shut.

Eden Hazard, Willian and Thibaut Courtois are all linked with moves away from the Bridge while Maurizio Sarri is still keen on a new goalkeeper and another striker.

So - when exactly does the summer transfer window close?

Here's all you need to know...

When did the transfer window open?

The 2018 summer transfer window opened on May 17.

Most Premier League clubs wrapped up their domestic seasons on May 13, with only the sides involved in the FA Cup Final (19th), Football League play-offs (26th-28th) and Champions League Final (26th) following.

The World Cup put transfers on the back-burner for a month between June 14 and July 15.

With the 2018 FIFA World Cup starting on June 14 however, it leaves very little time for clubs to get their business done early.

Those players set to move on a Bosman free transfer when their contract expires had to wait a little longer until July 1 though, as most deals don't expire until the day before.

When does the transfer window close?

Usually the summer window runs into the start of the new season, not closing until the end of August.

But the FA have announced that all deals must be completed before the first game of the domestic season kicks off.

FIFA's official deadline is the August 31, but for English clubs the official closing time is at 5pm on Thursday August 9, ahead of the season's curtain raiser between Manchester United and Leicester on August 10.

That means clubs have over three weeks' less time than previous years - cue deadline day pandemonium like we've never seen before.

When do transfer windows close around the rest of Europe?

Every other big league in Europe - ie La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 - are taking advantage of the official deadline of August 31.

That could mean the likes of Real Madrid and Paris Saint Germain could pinch Premier League players after the window in England slams shut.

Where do loan moves come into all of this?

Previously, clubs who failed to get their business done could still bring in fresh recruits on an emergency loan basis for up to three months at a time.

The FA scrapped the loan windows following increasing pressure from FIFA.

However, Football League clubs will now be allowed to bring in players on loan up until August 31, while they will also be able to make loan signings with view to a permanent transfer.

Clubs can also nab up a talented superstar on a freebie outside of the windows - but don't count on it.

What can we expect?

Spending. Lots of spending.

Every summer since 2011 - 2012 has seen the record for fees spent during the transfer window broken.

And the 2017 season didn't just break the record, it smashed it. With a 23% increase on the previous years total fees.

A remarkable £210 million was spent on the final day of the window last summer, which unremarkably was £10 million less than Manchester City spent in total during the window.

Since the first transfer window was introduced in 2003, Premier League clubs have spent over £10 billion - with £1.4 billion of that coming in the summer of 2017.

And it's the biggest spending league in Europe, having spent £400 million more than both Serie A and La Liga in just that one summer window.

What were the big moves last summer?

The big news was the world record transfer of Brazilian Neymar from Barcelona to PSG for a huge £200 million - eclipsing the previous record of £89 million set by Paul Pogba the previous summer.

There were some huge moves in the Premier League too, with Romelu Lukaku joining Manchester United from Everton (£75 million), Alvaro Morata switching Real Madrid for Chelsea (£70 million), and Alexandre Lacazette heading to Arsenal from Lyon (an initial £46.5 million).

Elsewhere, Liverpool pulled off one of the coups of the summer by signing Mohammed Salah for £36.9 million from Roma, whilst Mancheser City splashed £51.75 million on full back Benjamin Mendy.