Brexit will damage Premier League football- Cesc Fabregas

Cesc Fabregas has warned that England’s decision to quit the European Union will “damage” the Premier League .

The Spaniard moved to Arsenal as a 16-year-old from Barcelona thanks to an exemption in Fifa regulations that allows transfers to take place within the territory of the EU if the youngster is aged between 16 and 18.

Clubs outside the EU are prohibited from signing overseas players under the age of 18, meaning the likes of Fabregas would not be able to move to England at such an early age. Fabregas is also considered a ‘homegrown’ player, irrespective of nationality, because he was registered with Arsenal for three entire seasons or 36 months prior to his 21st birthday.

Current Premier League rules state that clubs must include eight ‘homegrown’ players in their 25-man squad, making the likes of Fabregas particularly valuable. But the 29-year-old would not have ‘homegrown’ player status if he had not been able to join Arsenal until he was 18.

Asked while on duty with Spain at Euro 2016 about the vote for England to leave the EU, Fabregas said: “It’s a very disappointing decision and I think very negative for many people. Personally, I see it as a mistake. I didn’t expect it, as I went to bed optimistic and woke up to this news.

“I think it’s damaging for the Premier League. It’ll be harder to sign players, the salaries will change if the pound gets close to the euro. It’s a decision that will create many complications not just in football, but the daily lives and future of all people.”

Fabregas is preparing to face his new Chelsea manager Antonio Conte in Euro 2016, as Spain take on Italy in the last-16 on Monday.

“I met Conte briefly and he made a very good impression,” said Fabregas. “He is a great coach, a winner. He told me what he wants from me, what he wants to do at Chelsea and various other things that will remain private.

“I really want to start working with him. Now I hope he can get to work at Chelsea as soon as possible. Hopefully from Tuesday he can concentrate on his new job!

“I sort of knew about Conte before our meeting. I liked his Juve and, obviously, had followed the victories, but it wasn’t a team I watched every single week. Now I’ve studied them more carefully and I liked what I saw. He did a great job with the national team too, so I am very confident.

“I see he has created a great team unit with Italy. It might be missing your classic individual talents like Alessandro Del Piero or Francesco Totti and lost Claudio Marchisio and Marco Verratti to injury, but it is a very compact group.

“That has always been one of Italy’s strengths and today it is true more than ever. From the outside it seems as if Conte chose a definitive group to go all the way and they are all following him.”