Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp admits he is still waiting for “the first really positive impact of Brexit” as English clubs prepare for a change in rules on signing European players.
Under radical plans which come into force when the UK’s transition period after leaving the European Union ends on December 31, Premier League and EFL clubs cannot sign foreign players until they are 18, with all transfers from EU nations set to be subject to work permits that will be allocated using a points-based system.
Clubs will also be limited to signing no more than three overseas players under the age of 21 in any single transfer window and a total of no more than six per season.
While Klopp leaves recruitment policies to sporting director Michael Edwards, he admits without detailed negotiations the situation would have been much less favourable.
“Michael Edwards was involved in a lot of these discussions and the clubs fought pretty hard for a solution, a kind of a good solution or as good as possible,” he said.
“For me, it’s just a decision and without discussions it would have been worse.
“I am still waiting for the first advantage of Brexit that someone can tell me, what really improves after Brexit.
“It’s not obviously not my thing to say or judge but – as an interested person – I just wait until the first really positive impact of Brexit.
“In football now, let’s use that as an example. The people – I think the FA or whatever – want to make sure that the clubs don’t sign too many players from other countries because they are afraid that not enough English talents will make their way.
“If you look at the English youth national teams in the moment, they are in the top two or three – if not top – in nearly all age groups, talent-wise 100 per cent and that is with the way we did it before.
“So now, let’s think about why it happened. They had a lot of players around them that played good football as well. It’s just helpful.
“We cannot create just more talents because we deny other talents. But, as I say, it’s not my thing to judge really.
“It’s just one of the smaller problems which we will all be aware of when Brexit is finally there.”
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