The UK’s decision to leave the European Union is set to have wide-reaching implications for both Everton and Liverpool.
A majority vote of 51.9 per cent for the Leave campaign backed the decision to opt out of the continental membership within the next two years.
And its impact is also set to extend to Merseyside’s two clubs with a series of knock-on effects to Premier League football among the anticipated ramifications of leaving.
The freedom of movement that allows footballers across Europe to move to England without the need for a work permit is expected to be restricted to the same level as non-EU players.
Players would have to meet FIFA’s quota of games at senior international level to be eligible to join a Premier League club. Under those rules, deals such as Philippe Coutinho’s 2013 transfer to Liverpool not have been allowed to take place.
Within the current Everton squad, Gerard Deulofeu and goalkeeper Joel Robles would be ineligible to feature for the Goodison Park club.
Also set to be hit by the ‘Brexit’ are changes to the recruitment of players under the age of 18, which would see the previous arrangement set to be scrapped.
Liverpool have again been firm advocates of the existing model, with the likes of Suso and Joao Teixiera joining the club’s academy in previous years, while Everton enlisted Francisco Junior and Shkodran Mustafi, a future World Cup winner, into their ranks.