PFW
Active member
Yes, it is easier to sign players direct from some South American clubs, Copa Libertadores is classed as a tier 1 competition, Copa Sudamerica tier 2, and the Brazilian and Argentine top divisions are classsed as tier 3, but as we are doing with Mitoma, outside of those, we need a European League to take him, to get him games in a tier 1 or 2 league first, so we are reliant on the Visa system for non EU footballers in an EU country, to get them up to the points, unless they are a regular international in a well ranked national side.
However, there are downsides too on player recruitment, EU and especially young EU players are now not so straightforward, Robert Sanchez for example, could not have come here when he did, if the current rules were in place at the time.
The top 6 clubs will benefit most I reckon, as mostly they are looking at players already playing to a high standard, and shouldn't be restricted on the type of signing they tend to make of EU players. But for clubs like us that need to develop younger players, I think it is tougher, you could argue that we and others will end up bringing more English lads into the academy, and overall that may be good for the National game, just not so good for the club. But you could also argue that our English lads will not be playing with and against players of such high quality as they could have been in the Academies, and English elite youngsters don't develop as well as they otherwise might have.
So this will benefit us then, as we are a top 6 club!!!!!!