London - Football Association chairperson Greg Dyke has unveiled a plan to encourage Premier League clubs to unearth their own homegrown stars by making it harder for foreign players to secure work permits.
Stricter rules, approved by the home office on Friday, will come into force from May 1 and intend to reduce the number of non-European Union players, who are seen as blocking the way for English youngsters to breakthrough into Premier League teams.
Only 35 per cent of those currently playing in the top flight are English and Dyke wants that figure to rise to around 40 per cent in the next five years.