OPINION
While watching football on a Saturday might be an escape for many from the trials and tribulations of the work week, it seems that the Premier League is not about to escape the impact that the UK’s impending exit from the European Union will have.
With the arranged Brexit date closing in quickly for those in government, the Times claim that negotiations are ongoing between the English top flight and the Football Association, with a potential deal tabled which will have drastic effects for elite sides in England.
The reported terms would see the necessary homegrown players quota, which currently sits at eight per squad – or 17 overseas talents – moved to 13, meaning sides could only have 12 players from abroad from the end of 2020.
That would be huge for Premier League sides, with 13 clubs already over that threshold, Tottenham among the five who have maxed out at 17 players from overseas in their squad.
It is stated that such a move is being made to help with Brexit and to boost the quality of English talent in the top flight and with an already proven conveyor belt of top youngsters coming through their system, Spurs could be on course to benefit greatly.
With the likes of Harry Kane, Harry Winks, Dele Alli, Kieran Trippier and Danny Rose – all Three Lions internationals – making up a core of their squad, and with Kyle Walker-Peters, Oliver Skipp and Luke Amos already on the fringes, Tottenham know that despite their seeming reliance on foreigners, their future under Brexit is bright in comparison to their rivals.
The likes of Michel Vorm, Georges-Kevin Nkoudou, Moussa Dembele and Fernando Llorente seem destined to leave in the near future and add the uncertain futures of Toby Alderweireld, Victor Wanyama and even Hugo Lloris to that list, and Spurs seem fine when it comes to the new proposed rulings.
Few other Premier League outfits have shown such an ability to produce quality homegrown talent on such a regular basis and with the future of Tottenham already making their way into the senior side, Spurs could well reign supreme over the rest of the division when the drastic changes come into place in two years.