Pennant returns to England with Stoke following a spell in Spain
In and around this year's usual summer transfer gossip, you may have noticed the mention of 25-man squads and home-grown player quotas.
The 2010-11 Premier League season will see top flight clubs forced to comply with rules over the size and make-up of their squads.
The Premier League says the new rules are designed to increase the number of young 'home-grown' players in the Premier League, with a long-term aim of giving more options to the England manager.
But what will they actually mean in practice? BBC Sport explains the key points of the new system:
- Clubs register a squad of up to 25 players, which must include at least eight 'home-grown' players, at the end of each transfer window.
- Home-grown players do not have to be English; home-grown players are defined as those who "irrespective of nationality or age, have been affiliated to the FA or Welsh FA for a period of three seasons or 36 months prior to 21st birthday"
- Clubs can supplement squad with unlimited number of players under the age of 21.
- Changes can be made only during transfer windows, although in exceptional circumstances (eg goalkeeping injury crisis) moves could be allowed.
- Players loaned to Football League clubs cannot be replaced, but can regain their spot on return to parent club.
- Rules apply only to Premier League matches, not European, FA Cup or League Cup action.
- First deadline is 1700 BST on 1 September (24 hours after end of August transfer window).
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