FIFA proposes new rule that could impact Liverpool more than Premier League rivals

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FIFA is looking into new rules to impact the game, one of which could make a huge change to Liverpool and Arne Slot within the squad for the coming seasons.Liverpool could be impacted by a FIFA rule change(Image: (Photo by Stuart Franklin - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images))Liverpool could be hugely impacted by a new FIFA proposal, which sets out a rule for teams to have at least one homegrown under-21 player on the pitch at all times.A report from The Times claims that the plan will be put to different governing bodies within soccer, before making a formal submission of the rule to FIFA's council.The idea is outlined as a way to help the development of younger players in the game, giving them valuable game time, but it could also make a difference to the strategy of clubs in the transfer market, as well as the decisions made by coaches in games.While Liverpool has a prestigious academy with plenty of talent coming through, this season has underlined that meeting the rules would be a tough task for Arne Slot. The Liverpool starting lineup has only featured an Englishman under the age of 21 twice this season in the Premier League, fewer than all of its big six rivals, which would force more of a change on Slot's management than any of the others.READ MORE: Liverpool pre-season tour plans in full as Reds travel to America weeks after World CupREAD MORE: Gary Neville urges Michael Carrick to drop 'terrific' Man Utd star vs LiverpoolThat change could force Slot to give more chances to the likes of Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni from the start, while the signing of young players in key positions may become even more important, especially when it comes to substitutions and injuries.Such a move from FIFA would be unprecedented, even with some of the rules already in place.

UEFA has a homegrown player rule, which ensures that at least eight players must have been trained in the country out of a list of 25, though this is only in registration and has little impact on matchday squads.Rio Ngumoha has impressed at Liverpool so far this season(Image: (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images))The Premier League similarly has registration rules in the same way, but nationality has no bearing on the player's eligibility. A homegrown player is defined as someone who has been registered with the Football Association for three full seasons before they turn 21 years old.That is why Jeremie Frimpong, for example, counts as homegrown from his time spent at Manchester City as a youngster, rather than as a non-homegrown registration spot.That is still a huge leap from registration to requiring certain players on the pitch, which could come with plenty of positives and negatives for a team like Liverpool.There is clearly plenty of talent in the academy, to the extent that the Reds would likely have a huge talent advantage with their one allocated under-21s player compared to rivals in the Premier League.READ MORE: John W Henry called 'cowardly' after decision as Liverpool protests intensifyREAD MORE: Virgil van Dijk declares Liverpool 'will miss' Andy Robertson as reality sets inOne of the clear disadvantages may be the amount of time these youngsters can be relied upon for.

The hectic nature of the fixture schedule makes it tough to pick consistent teams anyway, but throwing in the need to play a refined group of players risks overworking them.Players who rack up a huge amount of minutes earlier in their career often tend to peak earlier, with their bodies breaking down quicker. It's an issue that Barcelona has had to come to terms with for some of their top talents, with Gavi and Pedri struggling in the past, and now Lamine Yamal is facing similar issues.The risk of doing something similar with a player like Ngumoha, for example, is one that could prove too much to get his full potential out over a long career.Add to that the challenge of enforcing it, and the change in transfer strategy, and Liverpool may be impacted by it more than most.