Brexit will increase the gulf between English football’s “Big Six” and the rest of the Premier League regardless of the deal eventually secured by the Government, experts believe.

Visa changes will automatically reduce the availability of unproven young talent by a quarter or potentially more if, as expected, the Premier League bends to the Football Association demands to boost home-grown talent in squads.

Plunging sterling values and City uncertainty in the event of no deal has also been cited as a potentially greater risk for lower top-tier teams as well as those in the Championship.

Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal and Manchester United are understood to have concluded they are “infinitely better sheltered” than the rest, and experts say there is certain to be a short-term drop-off in transfer activity outside the top six when the visa changes come into effect midway through next season.

The Government will introduce a new, Australian-style points-based immigration system from January 2021 and experts believe proven players will come at a premium for relegation-threatened sides with less bargaining power.

Lawyers and experts say teams who have shown the most creativity in the transfer market – especially those more heavily dependent on TV rights revenue – face the most uncertainty.