FIFA are considering a radical new plan to boost youth development – by ordering clubs to have at least one homegrown under-21 player on the pitch at all times.
Should the dramatic shift get the go-ahead, it would have a massive impact on the talent clubs sign, select and even substitute in-game.
As evidence of how much of a sea-change it would prompt, there are four clubs who are yet to start a single Under-21 player in any of their Premier League games so far this term.
A consultation process for the new proposal was green-lit during a Fifa Council meeting on Monday.
It will now be put to different footballing bodies such as confederations, national associations, leagues and players’ organisations for their thoughts, before a formal proposal is submitted to Fifa’s Council next year.
A Fifa statement read: “The Fifa Council unanimously approved a consultation process with all relevant stakeholders for a regulatory obligation that senior club teams are obliged to always have at least one homegrown player from the Under-20 or Under-21 category on the field of play, and for the proposal to be submitted to the Fifa Council in the next year.”
As the statement suggests, the proposal could even lower the age of the fielded player required to Under-20.
Aston Villa, Burnley, Brentford and Leeds are the quartet of sides not to field any Under-21 players from the off in Prem games.
But Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest have only included a player that fits that criteria in one match, while Arsenal and Liverpool just two.
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At the other end of the scale, Manchester City – who have 21-year-old England star Nico O’Reilly as a regular starter – have had an Under-21 player in 30 of their 33 league games so far this term.
Currently, Uefa employs a “homegrown” rule where clubs must have eight players who have been trained locally in their 25-man A squad list.
But crucially, there are no obligations to have any of those players on the pitch – unlike Fifa’s proposed shake-up.
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