23 Jun 2021 11:28:28
Hi Eds, hopefully an easy question to answer (and I searched "signing u18"), why are we not allowed to sign the Ghanaian wonder kid but Sporting Lisbon are? Is it purely a work permit issue?

{Ed002's Note - I have explained this already - the rules do not allow the transfer of the player before he is 18 unless it is between clubs in the same FA or countries covered by and calling out an agreement with the ACP states.}


1.) 23 Jun 2021
23 Jun 2021 12:19:13
this has been such an odd continuous rumour that has spread across the fanbase like wildfire.

to get to the point of "we've signed him" yet as Ed says we aren't legally allowed to sign him.


2.) 23 Jun 2021
23 Jun 2021 14:03:37
Thankfully it seems like we’ve had nothing to do with this.


3.) 23 Jun 2021
23 Jun 2021 13:45:10
So not a level playing field and the French and Portuguese teams have an unfair advantage. Thanks for clearing that up.

{Ed002's Note - Rubbish. An unfair advantage goes to the sides who cheat.}


4.) 23 Jun 2021
23 Jun 2021 15:21:55
Hi Ed002, I've seen your other replies on this topic too and there's one thing I'm not clear on. How were, for example, Jadon Sancho and Jude Bellingham able to join Borrusia Dortmund at the age of 17, given BD are under a different Football Association than Man City and Birmingham?

{Ed002's Note - The UK were in the European Union then and now they are not - and FIFA rules apply to transfers now - and they have changed.}


5.) 23 Jun 2021
23 Jun 2021 15:57:39
Ah OK, thanks Ed002, I did wonder if the EU had anything to do with it. So does that mean that there won't be any other U-18 transfers between UK clubs and ones based in Europe (either way)?

{Ed002's Note - Not from EU to UK but the other way around is OK.}


6.) 23 Jun 2021
23 Jun 2021 16:32:23
Effective date of Brexit was 31 January 2020 and UK ceased to be a part of the EU with immediate effect. Bellingham joined Dortmund on 20 July 2020.
Not sure what cheating has to do with any part of this. I am just remembering the Jon Obi Mikel saga (is he Norwegian or isn’t he? ) and the fact that UK clubs find it harder to sign young African players, whereas the French clubs do not. For example, the Spanish signs have a knack of signing the young South American stars but they share a common language. It is not a legal restriction.
UK clubs signing young African players does seem to be restricted somehow, how so?

{Ed002's Note - You don’t seem to understand - EU sides can still buy players from the UK. Obviously you don’t understand the situation with John Obi or other movement that are allowed. Cheating is what Liverpool have tried to excel at and have been repeatedly caught out. I don’t understand the question at the end. I have explained agreements exist. Maybe the rules continue not to be applicable to Liverpool.}


7.) 23 Jun 2021
23 Jun 2021 17:50:38
Another Brexit bonus then Ed, eh?


8.) 23 Jun 2021
23 Jun 2021 20:56:28
Ed002, I'm just trying to increase my understanding of the situation (not trying to condone cheating or anything of the like) . Could you please explain why the European sides can still sign British U-18s but British sides can't sign European U18s?

Also, I appreciate you're busy, but when you get a moment, could you also explain the other movements that you referred to in your reply to StEtienneAmen? How come, for example, Spanish/ Portuguese sides are able to sign so many young South Americans, for example, and French sides are able to sign so many young African players? Is it related to their former colonies and therefore agreements between the respective FAs, or am I barking up wrong tree?

{Ed002's Note - (a) Brexit - the UK backed out of the system. (B) African players fall under the Cotonou Agreement for some countries.}


9.) 24 Jun 2021
23 Jun 2021 21:38:43
Which we haven't done in this case, despite you seemingly to think we had last week.

Why is it none of my comments - constructive or critical - ever get posted?