Football: Bosman boost on the cards for youngsters

Promising young British players could earn personal fortunes overnight if the Premier League are allowed to press ahead with their plan to introduce the Bosman ruling to the domestic transfer market this summer.

Out-of-contract players over the age of 24 would be allowed to move clubs for free and negotiate terms accordingly from 1 July next year.

The introduction of the ruling is being discussed jointly by the Premier League, Football Association and Football League in the professional football negotiating and consultative committee. July is the Premier League's favoured start date, because the current round of contracts expire in June.

They say they have the support of the Professional Footballers' Association. The Football League want the ruling brought in gradually, but the Premier League's spokesman Mike Lee said: "We need to make the break clean and simple. There's nothing to be gained by delay."