Crystal Palace midfielder Eberechi Eze has recently garnered attention from both Manchester United and Liverpool.
While his technical skills and goal-scoring abilities have impressed scouts, there is an underlying reason why both clubs may be interested in signing him.
Eze’s outstanding performances for Crystal Palace towards the end of the 2022/23 season earned him his debut for the England national team, where he played in a convincing 4-0 victory against Malta. The Greenwich-born midfielder showcased his talent by scoring six of his ten Premier League goals during Roy Hodgson’s successful two-month reign as the Eagles’ manager.
Such impressive displays have inevitably linked Eze with some of the Premier League’s top clubs. Journalist Ekrem Konur reported that Liverpool has been monitoring the 24-year-old’s progress, while Give Me Sport suggested that Manchester United sees him as a potential alternative to Mason Mount.
Beyond Eze’s unquestionable talent and potential, there is a practical motive for Liverpool and Manchester United to pursue his signature.
In particular, Liverpool needs to recruit homegrown players during this summer transfer window, and Eze fits the profile perfectly. Several non-homegrown players, including Arthur, Roberto Firmino, and Naby Keita, are set to leave the Reds in the off-season. While their departures would free up three spots in Liverpool’s Premier League squad, the exits of James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain would reduce the homegrown contingent to just five players.
However, including Curtis Jones, who has now moved out of the under-21 category, would bring the homegrown tally back up to six. Yet, if Caoimhin Kelleher and Nat Phillips also leave the club, Liverpool’s homegrown representation could drop to just four players by the end of the summer transfer window.
This scenario would limit Liverpool to a squad of 21 players unless they actively recruit homegrown talent like Eze. Therefore, his signing would ensure compliance with the Premier League’s homegrown rule and provide flexibility for squad selection.
The Premier League introduced the homegrown rule in 2008, mandating that teams must have a minimum number of players who have either progressed through their youth academy or another English club’s academy. A homegrown player, as defined by the Premier League, has been registered with any FA-affiliated club for at least three years before their 21st birthday.
After each transfer window, every Premier League team must submit a full 25-man squad list. Amongst these players, eight must be homegrown, thereby limiting the club to a maximum of 17 non-homegrown players.
If a club fails to meet the requirement of eight homegrown players, their squad size will be reduced accordingly. For instance, if a club were to have only six homegrown players, they would be restricted to naming a 23-man squad.
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