Tottenham handed huge Champions League boost after rule change

Dan Kilpatrick @Dan_KP7 September 2022

Tottenham have been handed an administrative boost after UEFA changed their position on Welsh players who trained at clubs affiliated with the English league system - meaning defender Ben Davies will now count as 'homegrown' in Europe.

Welsh players previously counted as foreign players in UEFA competitions but the likes of Davies, who came through the ranks at Championship club Swansea, can be registered as 'association-trained' going forward.

The rule change means Spurs can name their full 25-man squad for this season's Champions League without leaving out an overseas player.

UEFA rules state that clubs must have eight locally trained players in their 25-man squad or the maximum number of senior players they can include is reduced accordingly.

Davies is Spurs' eighth locally trained player after Djed Spence, Japhet Tanganga, Harry Kane, Oliver Skipp, Ryan Sessegnon, Brandon Austin and Fraser Forster.

In previous seasons, Spurs have been stung by UEFA's homegrown rule because Davies and England international Eric Dier, who came through the ranks at Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon, counted as foreign players.

In 2018-19, the club had to omit Argentine defender Juan Foyth from their Champions League squad, a decision which then manager Mauricio Pochettino described as "painful".

Pochettino said: "It's a mistake we made that at this level of football we cannot repeat again. We need to find a solution."

Dier continues to count as an overseas player, as does Republic of Ireland international Matt Doherty.

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