Premier League to consider quota system

PLAYERS’ chief Gordon Taylor has welcomed news that the Premier League are to consider implementing a quota system to promote youth development as a step in the right direction.

England’s elite clubs are to discuss introducing some form of quota system, possibly similar to that used by UEFA for the Champions League system whereby at least four players in every squad must have been developed by the club in question and four more in the same country.

Professional Footballers Association chief executive Taylor would ideally like to see stricter measures imposed but accepts that alternatives, such as FIFA’s “6+5” proposal, which has specific rules on nationalities, would be difficult to enforce legally.

In the plan to be debated, homegrown players would be defined as having been trained by a club for three consecutive years between the ages of 15-21, no matter what nationality.

Taylor said: “This is something we have been pressing for since we produced our Meltdown Report about 18 months ago. I’m pleased the Premier League have responded.’’