Clubs playing in the English Premier League from next season will have a 25-player squad cap and also have to introduce a quota on “home-grown” players.
“As of next season clubs will be required to have a squad named of up to 25 players, of which no more than 17 can be over the age of 21 and not home grown,” Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore confirmed.
“The definition of home grown is trained for three years under the age of 21 by somebody in the English and Welsh professional system.
“Clubs will have to declare their 25 at the end of August when the window shuts and then again at the end of January.”
Scudamore denied that the move would encourage clubs to hoard young foreign players and claimed the England team would ultimately reap the reward.
“It’s not in the club’s interests to stockpile players. It will make buying home-grown talent more attractive,” he said.
“We’re not going down the route of a nationality test but what this will mean is that you just can’t buy a team from abroad.
“We think it will give clubs an extra incentive to invest in youth. We think that one of the benefits will be that it will help the England team.”
All 20 Premier League members also agreed to adhere to a set of financial reporting rules designed to protect the viability and sustainability of the clubs.
“They will all have to annually submit accounts and future financial information,” said Scudamore.
“At all times the board of the Premier League will be applying a test which basically says this: can the club fulfil its fixtures, pay off its creditors when they are due and also to meet obligations to the Premier League’s contracts and partners?
“If the board believe a club is at risk of not meeting those obligations, it has to then step in and agree a budget for the running of that club. Any transfers can be embargoed.
“It’s absolutely crucial that these clubs are run as ongoing viable concerns. These financial rules apply immediately.
“This is tied in, and we passed the rule during the summer, to a ‘fit and proper person test’.
“At our club meeting last week, the clubs absolutely endorsed our position of not linking expenditure to income.”
e-Soccertips
Guest
They are not happy simply because they are not benefited :)
Mushi
Guest
Isn’t the 5 second loophole here that you go out and grab every 16 to 18 year old foreigner you can get your hands on and turn them into “home grown” players?
Gibbo
Guest
eight out of twentyfive doesn't sound overly repressive.
Colin N
Guest
I've just heard Wenger and Benitez aren't very happy about this, I wonder why?
AndyRoo
Guest
Most Aussie kids going to England do so on a european passport and alot go very young so won't be affected. But it will be interesting how this plays out and hopefully there are some more rules that come in later. I wouldn't really mind if our players were pushed to Holland or France instead, or even to stay in the A league a little longer but as those rules are now I don't see a lot changing.
whiskeymac
Guest
interesting - wonder what the knock on effect for aussie players get a gig in the EPL or even an EPL teams reserves will be...
Art Sapphire
Guest
I hope this clears things up for you Andy - the AFP article did not include the last sentence. "Under the rules, clubs will have to name a squad of 25 players over 21 before the season begins. Eight of those players must be "home-grown", in that they must have been developed for at least three years by an English or Welsh club before their 21st birthday. They can name a second, limitless list of players under 21 and both lists can be resubmitted at the end of the January transfer window."
AndyRoo
Guest
What happens if the club needs a 26th player due to injuries or fatigue? Do they come from the reserve team and what are the regualtions in that regard i.e. will we see Michael ballack promoted from Chelsea's reserve team for crucial matches? it' doesn't seem anwhere near as radical as the proposed 5 plus 6 rule