Yes, players who were signed during the January transfer window can compete in the 2024–25 UEFA Champions League knockout stages, as long as they are registered in accordance with UEFA’s rules.
Here’s how it works:
- Registration Window: Players who join clubs during the January transfer window must be registered for the UEFA Champions League knockout stages. Clubs are allowed to submit a new squad list for the knockout rounds, which usually happens in February. However, they can only include players who have not already played for another club in the same competition during the group stage.
- Requirements: To be eligible for the knockout rounds, a player must have:
- Signed with the club before the knockout round squad submission deadline (typically in February).
- Been properly registered with UEFA to be included in the squad for the knockout rounds.
- Not played for another team in the same edition of the Champions League (i.e., they can’t have appeared in the competition for a different club during the group stage).
So, if a player moves in January and has not played in the competition for another team during the group stages, they can be added to the Champions League knockout stage squad and be eligible to compete.