The Premier League is urging the government to abolish all restrictions on signing foreign players because it fears Brexit will harm the league’s competitiveness and global popularity.

The league is becoming concerned that with just over six months to go until the UK leaves the European Union it is still waiting for clarification on a number of key issues, including whether there will be dramatic restrictions on clubs’ ability to sign European players after Brexit, and the possibility of new quotas mandating the selection of more homegrown players.

And during talks with both the government and Football Association, the Premier League has called for football to be made an exception to any new rules that limit the access of European workers after Brexit, allowing clubs to sign any players they wish over the age of 18.

However, the league fears the Football Association and government may not back its plan as they may attempt to use Brexit as an opportunity to increase opportunities for English players in the Premier League. Only last week the England manager, Gareth Southgate, lamented that his playing pool was getting “smaller and smaller”.

The Premier League accepts that after Brexit it is highly unlikely that English clubs will continue to be able to sign European players under the age of 18 - as Arsenal did with Cesc Fabregas and Héctor Bellerín, and Manchester United with Gerard Pique and Paul Pogba among others.