Clubs know that bringing in players and managers from overseas will change dramatically on 1 January
“Taking back control” is not something most
Football clubs have had on their to-do list in recent years, at least not outside of possession statistics. The domestic game has thrived on the back of European
immigration. A cosmopolitan system where German managers work with Portuguese fitness coaches to develop Spanish talent on English pitches has been central to the growth of the domestic game. Now
Brexit is about to change all that.
From 1 January English football will change. European citizens will need a visa to work in the country. The criteria determining who qualifies have been the subject of lengthy negotiations between the Football Association,
Premier League and EFL. They were finally agreed at the beginning of December, which means clubs have had just a month to get to know the new rules and fully implement them. Which is more than many industries can say.