The Grauniad reports:
‘Uefa are trying to stem the growing influx of foreign footballers by forcing clubs across Europe to have up to eight homegrown players on their books and a new maximum squad size of 25.
‘The Uefa leadership have finally brought forward detailed proposals to counter what they regard as serious problems - fans no longer relating to their local team and clubs going heavily into debt in the pursuit of success - that have long-term harmful effects for the game.
‘Europe's leading clubs, including the powerful G14 group including Manchester United and Arsenal, may well try to block the measures. Many of the continent's top teams maintain large squads, especially in England and Italy, and they will have to reduce their numbers drastically if Uefa get their way.
‘United have 43 players in their first-team squad, for example, while Chelsea have 41, Arsenal 39 and Liverpool 35. Teams have assembled bigger and bigger squads in recent years to cope with competing in Europe and domestically.
‘Uefa president Lennart Johansson has criticised clubs such as Chelsea and Rangers for fielding teams composed entirely of foreigners, warning that it will make it harder for local fans to identify with them. Under Uefa's plans, four of the players in a squad of 25 would have to be products of the club's youth system while another four would have to have been trained in that country.
‘The proposals are Uefa's attempt to get round European Union labour laws, which bar discrimination on grounds of nationality, and avoid the possibility of a Bosman-style court challenge. The young players could be from any country within the EU, but there would still be quotas imposed on players from elsewhere.
‘Uefa hope to have the new rules in place by the start of the 2006-07 season, although there would be a transition period to allow clubs to adapt their squads to the new regulations.’