Signing a player on a tight deadline is a complicated process for clubs, but can be made easier by the use of a deal sheet.
For a player to move from one club to another, a considerable amount of paperwork must be submitted, and there isn't always time to complete it all when moves are made on deadline day.
That can put transfers at serious risk of falling through, and this is where a deal sheet comes into play.
Hakim Ziyech wasn't able to join PSG on the deadline day just gone as Chelsea made errors in the paperwork they submitted and didn't submit one, but what exactly is it?
What is a Premier League deal sheet?
A deal sheet is a form that, if filled out and submitted, confirms to the Premier League that a deal has been reached between two clubs for the transfer of a player.
The details that must be included in it are the names of both clubs, the name of the player being transferred and the fee agreed between the parties.
It must also be specifically stated in the document what the guaranteed sum of money is and what potential add-ons there are.
Deal sheets are only used at the very end of a transfer window.
Why are deal sheets used on deadline day?
Deal sheets are used specifically on deadline day to prevent clubs from running out of time to complete transfers.
If a deal is reached in the final few hours of a window, there isn't always enough time to submit all the paperwork required to finalise things.
For this reason, the Premier League allows clubs to submit a deal sheet in the final two hours before a deadline, and if they do so, they'll be given additional time to submit the documents required.
Specifically, they'll be given two hours from when the deal sheet is sent in.
