The Guardian:
The Premier League is in discussions with Downing Street over ways in which it can increase the number of home-grown players appearing regularly for England's leading clubs.
Discussions have begun with senior advisers to the prime minister and James Purnell, the culture secretary, to try to develop a consensual "British solution" to the apparent decline in the number of British and Irish players in the nation's top sides. The Premier League is acutely aware of the criticism that will flow its way over the issue if England fail to qualify for Euro 2008. In the past 10 days Michel Platini, Uefa's president, has criticised the large overseas presence in the English game, singling out Arsène Wenger for failing to select English players at Arsenal.
The Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, meanwhile, has proposed a quota system that would limit the number of foreign players in club sides, a plan that has the support of the Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.
Downing Street has been hugely supportive of the Premier League in recent months, and while advisers to Gordon Brown share some of the concerns at the overseas presence in the English game, they are keen that any measures reflect the realities of the Premier League, which has based its success on its international flavour. They are also determined to tread carefully, and are mindful of the sports minister Gerry Sutcliffe's recent interventions on the issue of player wages, and the Chelsea captain John Terry's in particular, which went down almost as badly in Downing Street as at Stamford Bridge.