Premier League clubs face a three-day scramble for the best young European talent as leading sports lawyers warned English clubs may be incorrect in believing they can sign teenage wonderkids until the end of the year.

Britain's exit from the European Union on January 31 will mean Premier League clubs are unable to sign European players aged under 18, as has been the case with Paul Pogba, Cesc Fabregas, Hector Bellerin and numerous others in the past.

The Premier League believe that clubs will still be able to sign young European talent in the summer transfer window. But leading sports lawyers have warned that could be wrong and the window is likely to slam shut after Brexit.

That would give clubs just three days to sign 16 and 17-year-old targets, as Chelsea have done in this transfer window with the purchase of Bryan Fiabema, a highly-rated 16-year-old Norwegian forward, from Tromsø.

“There's a lot of confusion,” said Jake Cohen, a sports lawyer who frequently works with clubs. “I’d advise the clubs, if you identify the player and you have everything put in place definitely pull the trigger now. Don’t leave it to chance with Fifa, especially when there's no real guidance.”

That view was echoed by Owen Jones, a specialist in immigration sports law from the law firm Sheridans. “My understanding is that this window will be the last opportunity for clubs to sign 16 and 17-year-olds, unless something changes in terms of the Fifa regulations,” Jones said.