Brexit legislation changes can influence future West Brom recruitment

Premier League and Football League clubs have now, thanks to a summer change in legislation, received permission to recruit new players from all corners of the globe.

The Baggies, who yesterday brought in Nigeria international Josh Maja from Bordeaux in France, could now cast their transfer net overseas and not be restricted by Brexit red tape.

Brexit rules led to a points-based government body endorsement (GBE) system from January 1, 2021. That criteria took into accounts players’ international caps, Fifa ranking of club nation, and academy background and domestic appearances.

Overseas players required a total of 15 points to move to England, otherwise the case had to be pleaded. Previously, while part of the European Union, British clubs could sign players aged 16 and above from the EU, assuming easy-hitting quotas were met.

Within the last couple of months, however, clubs will now be permitted two wildcard spots for “elite significant contribution (ESC)” players – those not with the required work permit regulations but with the potential to do so. More places can be granted depended on minutes club give English-qualified players (EQP).

Corberan, when speaking to the press, explained the changes to the ruling in positive and negative terms – positive to bring in talent from further afield, but negative as the rules were introduced at a late stage in the planning period for recruitment teams and manager to readdress plans.

“I think something and positive and negative that has happened with the Brexit rules is that it changed the work of recruitment in England,” Corberan said.

“In the Championship you could only achieve players with the points, a level to come here to play, (it) changed the market completely.

“Before this happened three years ago, my first year at Huddersfield, I could bring any player if I liked them and it was possible, there were no type of points.”

Albion fans have voiced their discontent in recent years with the club seemingly reluctant to make moves to bring overseas talent to The Hawthorns as had been successful in some cases years previously.

Cash-strapped Albion have needed to show patience, work smart and be selective with recruitment before adding Jeremy Sarmiento, on loan from Brighton, and former Sunderland youngster Maja.

“After the Brexit rule appeared the market changed,” Corberan said. “In the Championship the main recruits were (from) England and the top leagues in the world, plus international players, it was a different market. Now you can get four players without any points, which is a positive thing. Now your market is bigger to get maybe good players that didn’t play some (higher) level, you can approach them because they’re financial possibilities.”

Corberan added, though, that the late introduction of the new rule hampered planning. He said: “What is the negative is that the rule appeared one month ago, so a club working in the market of the players you can sign, you haven’t been working in the market of places you cannot bring players.

“It’s a new challenge, now the best way is if you find a player, the recruitment make the process and create a list of players in every position. But to make a process of one year is impossible to do in one month, impossible.

“That’s why I told you the impact of a recruitment department is massive, you understand Premier League clubs are examples of being very competitive Premier League clubs without being financially the best ones because the recruitment department is excellent.

“That’s why I always support the clubs to invest well in the recruitment department.”