Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has three deadlines to keep in mind over the next few days....CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
The first is Friday’s transfer deadline with plenty of deals expected to be completed before 11pm, although the focus is on sales rather than incomings. Shortly afterwards the Spaniard must name his 25-man Premier League squad for the first half of the 2023/24 campaign.
Three days after the transfer window closes another deadline will be upon Arteta. This one will be in regard to naming his Champions League squad for the group phase with the Gunners returning to Europe’s top table for the first time since 2017 after finishing as runners-up to Manchester City last season.
As explained by UEFA, because Arsenal have qualified automatically for the group stage – along with the likes of Man City, Manchester United, Newcastle United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Napoli and Paris Saint-Germain, they must submit List A online by 4 September 2023 (11pm).
Now, when it comes to any of the three European club competitions, the rule states: ‘Each club is responsible for submitting to UEFA an A list of players (List A) and a B list of players (List B), duly signed by the club and verified, validated and additionally signed by its association.’
‘No club may have more than 25 players on List A during the season. As a minimum, eight places are reserved exclusively for “locally trained players” and no club may have more than four “association-trained players” listed in these eight places on List A. List A must specify the players who qualify as being “locally trained”, as well as whether they are “club-trained” or “association-trained”.’
At one stage this summer Arsenal were facing a squad registration issue as they were over the limit of non-homegrown players (17) permitted by seven. But after selling Pablo Mari, Granit Xhaka, Auston Trusty and Matt Turner as well as loaning out Marquinhos, Runar Alex Runarsson and Kieran Tierney those fears no longer remain.
However, there’s still work to be done to adhere to UEFA’s rules as the Gunners still have a total of 30 senior players who are eligible for List A – but as no more than 25 can be named it means a minimum of five transfers must be completed before Arteta submits his final list.
Luckily, it would appear the situation is under control as Folarin Balogun is set to join AS Monaco, Nuno Tavares is on his way to Nottingham Forest on loan and football.london understands Arsenal are open to offers for Arthur Okonkwo, Rob Holding, Cedric Soares, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Nicolas Pepe.
Meanwhile, the rule with regard to List B is as follows: ‘Each club is entitled to register an unlimited number of players on List B during the season. The list must be submitted by no later than 24.00CET on the day before the match in question.
‘A player may be registered on List B if he is born on or after 1 January 2002 and since his 15th birthday has been eligible to play for the club concerned for any uninterrupted period of two years, or a total of three consecutive years with a maximum of one loan period to a club from the same association for a period not longer than one year.
Players aged 16 may be registered on List B if they have been registered with the participating club for the previous two years without interruption.’
Looking back at Arsenal’s Europa League squad for the 2022/23 season and the 24-man squad for the group phase didn’t include first-team pair Bukayo Saka or Karl Hein. Instead, they were included on List B due to their age and meeting the aforementioned requirements.
However, that will not be the case this season. As Saka is born before January 2002 it means he has to be transferred over to List A when the time comes for the Gunners to submit their Champions League squad, but Hein can remain on List B having been born in April 2002….READFULL
