In the Premier League, a loan is a temporary transfer. A club can register up to four loan players in a season, no more than two at the same time, and only one from the same club at a time; a loan player cannot face his parent club unless both clubs give written consent.
What a loan means in Premier League rules
The Premier League's 2026/27 handbook treats a loan as a “Temporary Transfer”. It is the temporary transfer of a player's contract registration, under Rules V.5 to V.10.
Loans are allowed between Premier League clubs. They are also allowed between a Premier League club and a club in the EFL, the National League, the Northern Premier League, the Isthmian League or the Southern League. A club with its registered address in Wales can also make this kind of move with a club in the Welsh Premier League.
The main squad limits
Three limits apply at the same time.
- A club can register no more than four loan players in one season.
- A club can have no more than two loan players at the same time.
- A club cannot have more than one loan player at the same time from the same club.
Two categories do not count toward those limits. A loan that becomes permanent is excluded. A goalkeeper loan allowed at the Board's discretion is also excluded.
There is a separate goalkeeper rule as well. A club may loan out no more than one of its goalkeepers to another Premier League club in a season, apart from goalkeeper loans allowed by the Board. There is also a restriction on sub-loans: a club that already has two loans registered cannot take another player on a sub-loan from an overseas club.
Timing and length of a loan
A club cannot make a loan in the same transfer window in which it signed the player from his parent club. That stops an immediate loan out in the same window as the incoming signing.
The loan must last at least from one transfer window to the next. It also cannot run beyond 30 June after it began.
Can a loan player face his parent club?
He cannot play against his parent club unless both clubs agree in writing. A copy of that agreement must be sent to the League before the match.
If the loan becomes permanent during the season, the two clubs may also agree in writing that the player will not play against his former club for the rest of that season.
Any loan fee is agreed between the clubs. It must be paid by 30 June after the end of the season in which the loan expired.
FAQ
How many loan players can a Premier League club have?
The season-long registration cap is four. The live squad cap is two at any one time, so both limits matter together.
Can a Premier League club take two loan players from the same club?
No. The rule blocks that arrangement at the same time, even if the club is still below the wider season and squad limits.
Can a loan player play against his parent club?
Yes, but only with written agreement from both clubs. The League must receive a copy before the match.
What happens if the loan becomes permanent during the season?
The clubs can make a written agreement to stop the player facing his former club for the rest of that season.