Clubs want deal to sign foreigners without permits
PREMIER LEAGUE clubs believe they are edging closer to a deal with the Fa which would significantly relax the regulations around work permits for foreign players.
The government want a definitive update this month on how the new rules will look after Brexit, with the Fa and Premier League in talks which also concern the homegrown players quota.
Initial concerns that an agreement would not be reached by the end of this month are subsiding and there is optimism a deal can be struck in the t coming weeks.
among the changes being considered is allowing as many as three foreign players per 25-man squad who would not require work permits.
as it stands, players outside the Eu must meet criteria such as appearing in a percentage of their country’s international matches before b being granted work permits.
But the possibility has been raised of introducing ‘free hits’ so clubs can sign players from all over the world exempt from employment red tape.
Premier League clubs would prefer all work-permit restrictions to be lifted, but the Fa are keen to use Brexit to curb the number of foreign players in the top division.
The Fa’s view is that extending the current restrictions would benefit the national team. and knowing the Fa are unlikely to give clubs free rein in the transfer market, the Premier League clubs are seeking a compromise.
The Fa have proposed reducing the number of foreign players that top-flight clubs are permitted in their squads from 17 to 13 — an idea the Premier League are unwilling to accept.
Premier League officials fear the Fa’s plan would damage the competition’s status as the best in the world and, given its huge global following, will have significant consequences for the UK economy.
Fa technical director Les Reed is playing a key role in the dialogue between clubs and the governing body. His experience as a key technical administrator at Southampton means he understands the club’s requirements.
One source involved in the discussions has told Sportsmail that, while clubs generally remain against being forced to have 12 homegrown players in their squads, being able to bring in a number of non-workpermit players could be crucial in making a breakthrough.
The source said: ‘at one stage we didn’t look close, but the option of being able to sign players from outside the Eu who wouldn’t need work permits is an attractive one.
‘What we might see is an agreement on having around 12 to 13 foreign players who meet work-permit criteria, 10 homegrown players and two to three free hits.
‘Those numbers are still to be decided but it looks like it will be there or thereabouts.’
Clubs are also seeking clarification on which foreign players fit the homegrown category, with teams no longer able to sign overseas players under 18 from January because of Brexit.
as it stands, a player can be born overseas but still viewed as homegrown if they spend three years in an English or Welsh academy between the ages of 16 and 21.