Alex
Song is the latest home-grown player to emerge as a transfer target for some
of the Premier League’s top six, with Sky sources saying Manchester City and
Chelsea are chasing the Barcelona midfielder.
But why are the likes of City, Chelsea and Liverpool so eager to bring in
domestic players in the summer transfer window?
The FA’s current home-grown player rules state that each Premier League side
must have a minimum of eight home-grown players in the 25-man squads they
submit at the start of the campaign.
To qualify as home-grown, a player must have been registered with a club
affiliated to the FA or the Welsh FA for a period of three seasons prior to
his 21st birthday. That explains the eligibility of Song, who was born in
Cameroon but joined Arsenal as a teenager.
But while Premier League sides are busily ensuring they comply to the
current regulations, they are also wary that FA chairman Greg Dyke intends
to introduce even tougher rules from 2016, which will increase the required
number of home-grown players from eight to 12 out of 25 by 2020 in the hope
of improving the national team.
For now, as long as a side has no more than 17 overseas players, they can
supplement their 25-man squad with youth teamers, but complying with the
rules requires squad adjustments for some of the Premier League’s top sides
ahead of the 2015/16 campaign.
Manchester City
City’s transfer plans are being heavily influenced by the home-grown player
quota this summer – as is clear from their interest in Raheem Sterling, Jack
Wilshere and Song.
Last year Manuel Pellegrini’s side entered the season with a home-grown
player quota made up of Frank Lampard, James Milner, Dedryck Boyata, Gael
Clichy, John Guidetti, Joe Hart, Scott Sinclair and Richard Wright.
But this summer, only Hart, Clichy and back-up goalkeeper Wright remain,
leaving five vacant spots for home-grown players.
Sterling, Wilshere and Song would go a long way to filling the quota, but
deals for all three are fraught with obstacles. Liverpool have rejected
City’s £40million bid for Sterling, Arsenal have shown no inclination to
sell Wilshere, and Song could favour staying in London with either Chelsea
or West Ham, where he spent last season on loan.
City will hope to promote the best youngsters from their new,
state-of-the-art academy, and they are also thought to be close to signing
Fulham prospect Patrick Roberts, but there is an undoubted need for
home-grown additions to be immediately integrated into the first team.
Chelsea
Cesc Fabregas, John Terry and Gary Cahill are Chelsea’s only home-grown
players over the age of 21, which could explain their interest in Song. The
Blues have also been linked with QPR striker Charlie Austin, who is expected
to leave relegated QPR after scoring 18 goals last season.
Jose Mourinho has internal solutions too. “My conscience tells me that if,
for example, (Lewis) Baker, (Isaiah) Brown, and (Dominic) Solanke are not
national team players in a few years, I should blame myself,” the Chelsea
boss said last summer.
Chelsea’s talented crop of youngsters have won four of the last six FA Youth
Cups, and Mourinho has already begun blooding the likes of Ruben
Loftus-Cheek, Brown and Solanke with the home-grown quota in mind.
Loftus-Cheek, in particular, looks ready for the rigours of Premier League
football, while striker Patrick Bamford could also play a part after
impressing on loan at Middlesbrough last season. With one or two more
experienced home-grown signings, the Blues will be relaxed about filling the
quota.
Liverpool
The Reds have acted swiftly to bolster their home-grown contingent this
summer following the departures of Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Brad
Jones and amid uncertainty surrounding the futures of Sterling and Italy
international Fabio Borini, who also fills the home-grown criteria.
England international Milner has agreed a Bosman transfer to Anfield after
reaching the end of his deal at the Etihad, and the Reds also won the race
to sign Burnley’s Danny Ings, who scored 11 Premier League goals last season
and is currently on England U21 duty.
England U19 international Joe Gomez has also arrived after an impressive
breakthrough campaign with Charlton in the Championship. After a flurry of
early transfer activity, Liverpool can be contented with their home-grown
contingent.
As for the rest of the top six, Arsenal will have few concerns over filling
the quota next season. Arsene Wenger has developed a ‘British core’ at the
Emirates with the likes of Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Kieran Gibbs, Calum
Chambers and Danny Welbeck, while goalkeepers Wojciech Szczesny, and Damien
Martinez also qualify along with right-back Hector Bellerin.
Manchester United also have a strong home-grown contingent which includes
Wayne Rooney, Chris Smalling, Phil Jones, Michael Carrick, Ashley Young and
Jonny Evans, while Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne is also believed to be a
transfer target.
Tottenham are also well-placed. The Lilywhites have added Kieran Trippier to
a home-grown contingent which includes Harry Kane, Ryan Mason, Danny Rose,
Andros Townsend, Ben Davies, Kyle Walker and Nabil Bentaleb. England
Under-21 international Alex Pritchard is also expected to join the first
team squad after shining on loan at Brentford last season, while Dele Alli
will arrive from MK Dons.
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