April 7 – English Football League (EFL) teams will have to increase the minimum number of home-grown players in their match-day squads from next season and from 2018-19 will have to make way for at least one ‘club-developed’ player.
The new EFL rule was passed following a meeting of the 72 EFL clubs and is designed to encourage a pipeline of English talent into club first teams from the club’s own academy system.
It will also encourage clubs to focus on their own player development activity throughout their academy system and provide more opportunities for young players while they search for the players with the ability to make the quota meaningful.
Home-grown players are defined as players registered at a club in England or Wales for 36 months before their 21st birthday. The seven players must form part of the match-day starting 11 plus seven substitutes.
A club-developed player is defined as one registered with the club for at least a year before the end of his under-19 season
“I am confident that this decision will have a positive and lasting impact,” said EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey.
“It is imperative that we provide young players not only with a platform, but also with the belief that opportunities will be made available to progress from youth to senior football.”
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