Rangers, Celtic among SPFL clubs keen on transfer change
Rangers and Celtic are among the Scottish sides keen on a “major shake-up” to stop English sides from poaching young talents, according to the Scottish Sun.
The newspaper claimed (4 March), that SPFL sides are keen on the rule change to put a requirement in for full transfer fees for 14-year-old players.
The Press and Journal report on 4 March that SPFL teams are considering the possibility of lowering the age at which academy graduates can sign on full-time to 14.
Rangers, Celtic and other teams justified to ask for this transfer change
All Scottish clubs, including Rangers, are justified in seeking to introduce professional contracts for young players at the age of 14 to protect their talent pool and prevent English teams from poaching their prospects prematurely.
The current system, where players can only turn professional at 16, leaves Scottish clubs vulnerable to losing their best youngsters to English clubs who can offer professional contracts at an earlier age.
By allowing professional contracts at 14, Scottish clubs would have more control over their youth development and increase their chances of retaining talented players.
This move aims to level the playing field and ensure that Scottish clubs receive fair compensation for nurturing young talents.
Gers received some compensation from Aston Villa for Rory Wilson but these rules do favour the English sides.
Furthermore, given the stricter regulations on signing players under 18 from outside the UK post-Brexit, Scottish clubs are rightfully exploring ways to strengthen their position and safeguard the future of Scottish football.
The Premier League’s finances give clubs a massive advantage over those in Scotland in what’s already an unfair playing field.
In other Rangers news, John Bennett is now forced into Gers developments after a recent £67m Celtic revelation.
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