Manchester City: would need to reduce number of overseas players to meet proposed new rules

Manchester City would need to axe SIX overseas stars if the FA’s new proposals concerning home-grown players were implemented today.

FA chairman Greg Dyke wants to introduce tougher rules to improve opportunities for home-grown players and according to our research, five current Premier League squads would not comply with the new regulations.

The FA wants to phase in the new rules over four years from 2016, but the current squads of Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle would not be allowed.

The proposals are:

- Players, irrespective of nationality, will have to be with his club from age 15 to qualify as home-grown

- The number of non-home grown players in each 25-man squad is to be reduced from 17 to 13

- At least two home-grown players must be club trained

How many home-grown players does each Premier League club have under the current rules?

Looking at the current 20 Premier League squad lists, as published on the Premier League’s website in February, 15 clubs would have little trouble meeting the new rules.

However, the following five teams would need to make significant changes…

MANCHESTER CITY – At least six changes needed

Manchester City have the current maximum of 17 non home-grown players. Those are:

Sergio Aguero, Wilfried Bony, Willy Caballero, Martin Demichelis, Edin Dzeko, Fernando, Fernandinho, Stevan Jovetic, Aleksandar Kolarov, Vincent Kompany, Eliaquim Mangala, Samir Nasri, Jesus Navas, Bacary Sagna, David Silva, Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta.

In addition Gael Clichy and Dedryck Boyata would no longer be classed as a home-grown players under the new rules because they did not play for English clubs for three years before their 18th birthdays.

If the rules were introduced today, City would need to offload six of the players listed above.

TOTTENHAM – At least four changes needed

Tottenham also have the current maximum of 17 non-home grown players. Those are:

Emmanuel Adebayor, Etienne Capoue, Cristian Ceballos, Nacer Chadli, Vlad Chiriches, Moussa Dembele, Christian Eriksen, Federico Fazio, Brad Friedel, Younes Kaboul, Erik Lamela, Hugo Lloris, Paulinho, Roberto Soldado, Benjamin Stambouli, Jan Vertonghen and Michel Vorm.

Under the new rules, four of the above players would have to be taken out of the squad.

ARSENAL – At least four changes needed

Arsenal currently have 14 players in their squad classed as non-home grown:

Mikel Arteta, Santi Cazorla, Mathieu Debuchy, Abou Diaby, Mathieu Flamini, Gabriel, Olivier Giroud, Laurent Koscielny, Per Mertesacker, Nacho Monreal, David Ospina, Mesut Ozil, Tomas Rosicky and Alexis Sanchez.

Furthermore, Wojciech Szczęsny, Francis Coquelin and Damian Martinez would no longer be classed as home grown under the new rules.

That means Arsene Wenger would need to chop four players from that list to meet the limit of 13 non-home grown players.

CHELSEA – At least three changes needed

Premier League leaders Chelsea have 15 players in their current squad classed as non-home grown:

Cesar Azpilicueta, Petr Cech, Diego Costa, Thibaut Courtois, Juan Cuadrado, Didier Drogba, Eden Hazard, Branislav Ivanovic, Filipe Luis, Nemanja Matic, John Obi Mikel, Oscar, Ramires, Loic Remy and Willian.

Furthermore Cesc Fabregas would no longer be classed as a home-grown player under the new rules.

That means Jose Mourinho would need to axe three of the overseas stars listed above if the rules were in place today.

NEWCASTLE – At least three changes needed

Newcastle United are the fifth club that would be affected as things stand today. They currently have 15 non-home grown players on their 25-man squad list:

Mehdi Abeid, Vurnon Anita, Remy Cabella, Papiss Cisse, Fabricio Coloccini, Siem De Jong, Facundo Ferreyra, Yoan Gouffran, Jonas Gutierrez, Massadio Haidara, Daryl Janmaat, Gabriel Obertan, Emmanuel Riviere, Moussa Sissoko and Cheik Tiote.

In addition, goalkeeper Tim Krul would no longer be classed as a home-grown player.

That means Newcastle would need to trim at least three overseas players from their squad.

Premier League sources have told Sky Sports News HQ that there will be resistance to these proposals from top-flight clubs. FA Chairman Dyke is set to meet with clubs on Thursday.

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