The English football transfer window for winter 2002–03 ran from 1 January 2003 until 1 February 2003, although a few transfers took place prior to that date. Players without a club may join one at any time, either during or in between transfer windows. Clubs below Premier League level may also sign players on loan at any time. If need be, clubs may sign a goalkeeper on an emergency loan, if all others are unavailable. The decision to introduce restrictions on the period that clubs could buy and sell players was controversial. Some owners were worried that it could harm clubs with smaller squads that were in financial difficulty, particularly in the wake of the collapse of ITV Digital, which had been funding football league teams. Players who were out of contract before 31 August 2002 were available for transfer, however, under the FIFA regulations.
The winter transfer window, which was introduced for the first time this season, was relatively quiet for the first 30 days, with 107 deals totalling £17.54 million. Jonathan Woodgate's transfer from Leeds United to Newcastle United on 31 January was the most expensive transfer at £9 million. Malcolm Christie, Jamie Clapham, Robbie Fowler, Danny Higginbotham, Mart Poom, David Prutton, Michael Ricketts, Chris Riggott, David Sommeil and Matthew Upson all moved clubs for more than £1 million.
Transfers Only moves featuring at least one Premier League or First Division club are listed. The list is complete, although sometimes loan spells that were extended are covered as a single transfer.
Date Name Moving from Moving to Fee Grimsby Town Hull City Loan Fulham Preston North End Undisclosed York City Burnley Free Birmingham City Queens Park Rangers Free Wimbledon IFK Göteborg Undisclosed Arsenal Reading Loan Leicester City Mansfield Town Loan Unattached Manchester City Free Everton Rayo Vallecano Free Reading Oxford United Loan Grimsby Town Woking Free Wollongong Wolves Bradford City Free Rangers Middlesbrough Free Nottingham Forest Halifax Town Undisclosed Wolverhampton Wanderers Kidderminster Harriers Loan Wolverhampton Wanderers Kidderminster Harriers Loan Liverpool Bradford City Loan Southampton Millwall Loan Leyton Orient Ipswich Town Loan Birmingham City Stoke City Loan Southampton Bournemouth Loan Derby County Birmingham City Free Ipswich Town Doncaster Rovers Loan Nottingham Forest Tranmere Rovers Loan Nottingham Forest Carlisle United Loan Middlesbrough Chesterfield Loan Wimbledon Wolverhampton Wanderers Free Birmingham City Wigan Athletic Loan Portsmouth Exeter City Loan Birmingham City Peterborough United Loan Tottenham Hotspur Brighton & Hove Albion Free Fulham Blackpool Loan Fulham Oldham Athletic Loan Leicester City Millwall Free Rotherham United Shrewsbury Town Loan Bolton Wanderers Chesterfield Loan Bolton Wanderers Norwich City Loan Portsmouth Bradford City Free Aston Villa Sheffield United Loan Nottingham Forest Tranmere Rovers Loan Liverpool Coventry City Loan Sheffield United Grimsby Town Free Reading Tranmere Rovers Loan Burnley Crystal Palace Loan Liverpool Northwich Victoria Loan Blackburn Rovers Carlisle United Loan Manchester United Northwich Victoria Loan Watford York City Loan Auxerre Portsmouth Free Wolverhampton Wanderers Hull City Loan Leeds United Carlisle United Loan West Ham United Cheltenham Town Loan Everton Carlisle United Loan Tottenham Hotspur Carlisle United Loan West Ham United Stevenage Borough Free Sheffield United Scarborough Loan Bolton Wanderers Plymouth Argyle Loan Wolverhampton Wanderers Kidderminster Harriers Loan Wolverhampton Wanderers Tranmere Rovers Free Sheffield United Scunthorpe United Loan Tottenham Hotspur Kettering Town Loan Leicester City Shrewsbury Town Loan Manchester United Doncaster Rovers Loan Aston Villa Bournemouth Loan Leicester City Queens Park Rangers Loan Nottingham Forest Swansea City Loan Bury Sheffield United Undisclosed Brighton & Hove Albion Bristol Rovers Loan Leicester City Hull City £50k Rotherham United Doncaster Rovers Loan West Ham United Millwall Loan Manchester City Notts County Loan Bournemouth Hereford United Loan Sheffield United Lincoln City Loan Reading Oxford United Loan Wimbledon Brighton & Hove Albion Loan Portsmouth Exeter City Loan Birmingham City Wigan Athletic Free Portsmouth Exeter City Loan Crystal Palace Brighton & Hove Albion Loan West Ham United Leyton Orient Loan Newcastle United Coventry City Loan Liverpool Coventry City Loan Aston Villa Portsmouth Loan Crewe Alexandra Mansfield Town Loan Mansfield Town Crewe Alexandra Loan Bradford City Wigan Athletic Free Wimbledon Carlisle United Loan Wolverhampton Wanderers Tranmere Rovers Loan Nottingham Forest Mansfield Town Loan Crystal Palace Brentford Free Southampton Stockport County Loan Watford York City Loan Preston North End Hartlepool United Loan Fulham Sheffield United Loan Sunderland Grimsby Town Loan Middlesbrough Grimsby Town Loan Blackburn Rovers Coventry City Loan Bolton Wanderers Scarborough Loan Sunderland York City Loan Tottenham Hotspur Exeter City Loan Everton Exeter City Loan Rotherham United Doncaster Rovers Loan Blackburn Rovers Torquay United Loan Wimbledon Notts County Loan Leeds United Plymouth Argyle Loan West Bromwich Albion Bristol City Free Aston Villa Rochdale Loan Sunderland Blackpool Loan Sheffield United Boston United Free Fulham Queens Park Rangers Loan Leicester City Notts County Loan Leeds United Rochdale Loan Bolton Wanderers Bradford City Loan Walsall Mansfield Town Free Leeds United Sheffield Wednesday Loan Leeds United Bradford City Loan Everton Blackpool Undisclosed Manchester United Crewe Alexandra Loan Southend United Brighton & Hove Albion Loan