Premier League clubs must submit their squad lists for the first half of the 2022-23 season on Wednesday.
After a summer of spending – clubs combined to spend £2.36billion ($2.97b) on new recruits during the transfer window – some may have some difficult decisions to make.
However, there are rules in place that help those with more than 25 players to fit in.
When do Premier League clubs have to finalise squads?
Clubs are obliged to submit a squad list with a maximum of 25 players after each transfer window closes. In this case the deadline for submission following the summer window is Wednesday, September 13.
What about players under the age of 21?
Those do not count towards the 25-player limit — clubs are able to use as many players under 21 (born on or after January 1, 2002) as they like.
What about homegrown players?
Each 25-man squad can contain no more than 17 players who do not fulfil “homegrown” criteria.
The Premier League defines a “homegrown player” as one who, irrespective of nationality or age, has been registered with any club affiliated to the Football Association in England or Wales “for a period, continuous or not, of three entire seasons, or 36 months, before his 21st birthday (or the end of the season during which he turns 21)”.
Are UEFA rules the same?
The Premier League rules are similar to European competitions, such as the Champions League. A 25-man squad — the List A (or A list) — requires you to have a minimum of eight places for a locally trained (homegrown) player.
However, unlike the Premier League, UEFA categorises a locally trained player into two: a club-trained player and an association-trained player.
A club-trained player is someone who was on a club’s books for three years between the ages of 15 and 21, while association-trained players are players who were on another club’s books in the same association for three years between the ages of 15 and 21.
No club can have more than four association-trained players among their eight nominees on their List A.
Can clubs register new players during the season?
Yes, after the January window clubs can change their squads. If a club also reaches the knockout stages in any UEFA competition, they can also register a maximum of three new players before the round of 16.
(Photo: Harriet Lander –Chelsea FC/Chelsea FC via Getty Images)
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