Where do top EPL clubs currently stand on homegrown players quota in 2015?

With the England Football Association planning to change the Home Grown Player (HGP) quota from a minimum of eight players to 12, clubs will be scrambling to sign young talent or prise away HGPs from other clubs in a bid to ensure they have the requisite number of players in their Premier League squads. The current rule allows for a maximum of 17 non-home grown players in the 25-man squad. But with the changes to be implemented over four years from 2016, it would come down to 13. What does the homegrown rule state?The Home Grown Player requirement was brought about in the 2010/11 season in a bid to make clubs develop players in England instead of signing talent from foreign leagues. Note that this doesn’t imply developing just English players. A player who between the age of 16 to 21 has spent three seasons with an EPL club (not necessarily the first team) counts as a homegrown player.Each EPL side has to register 25 players for the season of which a maximum of only 17 can be non-homegrown. So a club must have at least eight homegrown players in the squad as things stand. These rules apply only to matches in the Premier League and not the FA Cup or the League Cup. A club may also add an unlimited number of U21 players as long as they were under 21 years old in the calendar year the season begins.We take a look at where the top five clubs stand as the transfer window officially opens on July 1.

#1 Arsenal

Arsenal have a strong and experienced contingent of homegrown players in the current squad

As things stand, Arsenal look well set to meet the minimum requirement of eight homegrown players. Gunners manager Arsene Wenger had set things in motion when he abandoned the approach of buying foreign players disloyal to the cause as they looked for a move away when the club was struggling to compete with cash-rich clubs who could afford to pay higher wages and provide a real chance of winning trophies.

With most of the stadium debts paid and new commercial deals signed, Wenger now has the money to spend on players – both in terms of transfer fees and wages. And he has been trying to develop a British core in North London as he believed they would prefer to stay at the Emirates than leave for another club. Young English players of top quality also became more readily available than they were in the mid-2000s.

Homegrown players at Arsenal

1. Jack Wilshere (Arsenal youth product)
2. Aaron Ramsey (developed at Cardiff City and Arsenal)
3. Theo Walcott (signed an Arsenal contract when he turned 17)
4. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (developed at Southampton and Arsenal) – will be 21 when 2015/16 season starts
5. Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal youth product)
6. Wojciech Szczesny (Arsenal youth product)
7. Danny Welbeck (developed at Manchester United but still counts as a homegrown player)
8. Hector Bellerin (Arsenal youth product signed in 2011) – U21 player
9. Francis Coquelin (Arsenal youth product)
10. Damian Martinez (Arsenal youth product)

Calum Chambers (developed at Southampton) is still 20 and not yet considered a homegrown player. Seven of the players in the list form the British core at Arsenal and have already played a number of first-team matches for the Gunners. Wenger will not have too much to worry about when the new rules are enforced, although that hasn’t stopped him from criticizing the proposal.

#2 Chelsea

John Terry, Gary Cahill and Cesc Fabregas are Chelsea’s only homegrown players above the age of 21

Chelsea could be in a bit of trouble with respect to filling the squad with experienced homegrown players. The current squad has only three homegrown players who are older than 21 – Cesc Fabregas, John Terry and Gary Cahill and the 2014/15 squad had exactly 17 non-homegrown players.

But the Blues are not exactly short on youth talent. The Chelsea youth teams over the years have won a number of trophies which include four FA Youth Cups in the last six seasons (2010, 2012, 2014 and 2015).

But the big question is whether Jose Mourinho trusts the youth players to step up to the senior squad and compete for a spot in the starting XI or just pick them in the first team to make up the numbers on the bench.

Homegrown players at Chelsea

1. John Terry (Chelsea youth product)
2. Cesc Fabregas (developed at Arsenal and spent his teenage years at the North London club)
3. Gary Cahill (developed at Aston Villa)

If Chelsea add youth players to their squad for next season, they will have almost filled the homegrown quota. But they will be looking to sign a couple of experienced homegrown players to ensure they can also compete. This is probably why players like Alex Song (developed at Arsenal) and QPR’s Charlie Austin are linked to the Blues.

Players who could be added to senior squad in 2015/16

1. Ruben Loftus-Cheek (Chelsea youth product)
2. Lewis Baker (loaned to Vitesse Arnhem)
3. Dominic Solanke (Chelsea youth product)
4. Isaiah Brown (joined Chelsea when he was 16)
5. Patrick Bamford (21-year-old signed by Chelsea from Nottingham Forest in 2012)

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho had said last year: “My conscience tells me that if, for example, Baker, Brown, and Solanke are not national team players in a few years, I should blame myself.” He now has the opportunity to help them realize their potential with Chelsea and England.

#3 Liverpool

Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge could form the core of homegrown players for Liverpool

Liverpool are one of the top EPL teams who are safe with respect to meeting the homegrown players quota. Although they did lose three experienced homegrown players at the end of the season in Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and Brad Jones, manager Brendan Rodgers and the board have been quick to sign replacements very early this summer.

The signing of James Milner from Manchester City represents a major coup for the Merseyside club as he arrived at Anfield on a Bosman. A signing with proven credentials in the EPL, the 29-year-old has spent his youth at Leeds and counts as a homegrown player. The signing of striker Danny Ings from Burnley also gives them another player to add to their homegrown roster.

Southampton right-back Nathaniel Clyne has also been signed by Liverpool and he fulfills the homegrown quota as well.

Homegrown players at Liverpool

1. Jordan Henderson (developed at Sunderland)
2. Adam Lallana (developed at Southampton)
3. Rickie Lambert (played for various clubs in England in his youth)
4. Fabio Borini (developed at Chelsea)
5. Joe Allen (developed at Swansea)
6. Daniel Sturridge (developed at Manchester City)
7. Danny Ings
8. James Milner

Raheem Sterling is still 20 years old and will be considered an U21 player when the 2015/16 season starts. But the Reds will want to hold on to a young player of his potential who has already played more than 100 games for the club in the past three seasons alone. The signing of Joe Gomez (an U19 England international) also secures their homegrown quota for the future.

#4 Manchester City

Only Gael Clichy and Joe Hart play for Man City’s first team among the homegrown players

One look at Manchester City’s current squad is all it takes to understand why the Citizens are ready to pay big money for the likes of England internationals Jack Wilshere and Raheem Sterling. With reported bids of £40m each, City look desperate to fill their squad with the minimum number of homegrown players. Last season, they had the 16 non-homegrown players and exactly eight homegrown players in the squad.

But with the departures of James Milner (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (New York City), Dedryck Boyata (Celtic), John Guidetti (free agent), Micah Richards (Man City youth product who was released and signed for Aston Villa) and Scott Sinclair (Aston Villa), City have only three homegrown players above the age of 21.

Homegrown players at Manchester City

1. Joe Hart (developed at Shrewsbury Town and Man City)
2. Gael Clichy (signed by Arsenal at age 17)
3. Richard Wright (developed at Ipswich Town)

Whether Manuel Pellegrini and City will be successful in signing experienced players remains to be seen. But the club will be hoping that their new academy will help fill in the gaps in the future.

Among the youth talent available, not one name rings a bell or even stand a chance of displacing the established players in the current squad for a spot in the first team. The one player who may have been added to the list was defender Matija Nastasic. But UEFA’s FFP sanctions saw City’s Champions League squad strength reduced and Nastasic didn't stand a chance of making it. He was loaned to Schalke in January – who promptly signed him on a permanent basis.

The one youth player they are linked to is Fulham’s 18-year-old striker Patrick Roberts who could help fill the quota in the coming years.

#5 Manchester United

Wayne Rooney (R) and Michael Carrick lead the homegrown contingent at Manchester United – literally (they are captain and vice-captain at Old Trafford)

Manchester United started the 2014/15 season with more homegrown players than Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City – 12 players to be exact. And with Louis van Gaal promoting the cause of youth talent in the senior team, the Red Devils are comfortably well placed to fill their homegrown player quota in the years to come.

But they did lose a few players during and after the 2014/15 season. Darren Fletcher made a move to West Bromwich Albion for free in January while players like Davide Petrucci terminated his contract after last season’s squad was announced. Youth product Marnick Vermijl was also signed by Sheffield Wednesday in the 2015 winter transfer window.

Homegrown players at Manchester United

1. Wayne Rooney (developed at Everton, signed by United at 18)
2. Phil Jones (developed at Blackburn Rovers)
3. Michael Carrick (developed at West Ham)
4. Chris Smalling (developed at Fulham)
5. Jonny Evans (Man Utd youth product)
6. Jesse Lingard (Man Utd youth product)
7. Rafael da Silva (signed by United at 17)
8. Tyler Blackett (Man Utd youth product) – will be 21 when 2015/16 season starts
9. Reece James (Man Utd youth product) – will be 21 when 2015/16 season starts

Paddy McNair is still only 20 but will be a homegrown player for Manchester United in the future having signed and played for the youth team when he was 16.