Chelsea chief calls for transfer rule change that would help Liverpool in future windows

Chelsea academy chief Neil Bath believes that it should be made easier for English clubs to recruit from Europe once again.

Since the UK left the European Union on 1 January 2021, signing players outside of England has become much harder. Players must be at least 18 and entry is qualified by a points-based system.

Before Brexit, Liverpool signed then-17-year-old Sepp van den Berg - currently on loan at Schalke - and Stefan Bajcetic, who has made five appearances for Jurgen Klopp’s side this season. Players such as Suso and Sergi Canos were signed as teenagers in previous years.

But any fledgling talents on the continent are now a lot more difficult for the Reds to recruit. And Bath would support a rule change that would make it easier again.

He told BBC Sport: "For sure, I would be in support of challenging the criteria to enable us to get greater access to the talent from abroad."

Bath helped develop Andreas Christensen and Nathan Ake at Chelsea. They both arrived aged 15.

Bath added: "That goes back to my 'best of the best' thought. "I genuinely believe having access to the best of the best is the best thing for young English players."