The hidden reason why Liverpool could sign Eberechi Eze as Man Utd 'plot potential bid'

Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze has attracted interest from Manchester United and Liverpool in the past week. And beyond his undoubted technical flair and goalscoring prowess, there is another reason both teams may be interested in the midfielder.

Eze’s performances for Palace in the latter part of the 2022/23 campaign earned him his first England cap, which came in a 4-0 win against Malta last week.

Indeed, the Greenwich-born midfielder has been in scintillating form, netting six of his ten Premier League goals last term during Roy Hodgson's successful two-month tenure in charge of the Eagles.

And such impressive recent outings have seen Eze linked with some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League.

Journalist Ekrem Konur claimed that Liverpool were monitoring the 24-year-old, while Give Me Sport has reported that United see Eze as an alternative to Mason Mount.

And beyond his undoubted talent and potential, there is a practical reason why Liverpool and United may be interested in Eze.

Is Eze a homegrown option for Liverpool or United?

Liverpool need to sign homegrown players this summer and Eze fits the bill.

Indeed, many players departing the Reds in the off-season are members of the club’s homegrown quota.

While the exits of Arthur, Roberto Firmino and Naby Keita will open up three non-homegrown spots in Liverpool's Premier League squad, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s departure will take the homegrown tally down to five.

Curtis Jones, who last year was in the under-21 category, will now be registered and count towards Liverpool’s homegrown tally, taking it back up to six. However with Caoimhin Kelleher and Nat Phillips potentially on the move, Liverpool’s homegrown contingent could drop to four by the end of the summer window.

If that were to happen it would limit Liverpool to a 21-man squad unless their summer business includes homegrown talent like Eze.

What is the Premier League’s homegrown rule?

In 2008 the Premier League introduced its homegrown rule, which dictated that teams have to have a minimum number of players who have either come through the club’s youth academy or another English side’s academy.

The Premier League defines a homegrown player as someone “who, irrespective of nationality or age, has been registered with any FA-affiliated club for at least three years before their 21st birthday”.

At the end of each transfer window, every Premier League team must submit a maximum 25-man squad list.

Eight of those players must be homegrown, therefore limiting the club to a maximum of 17 non-homegrown players.

If a club does not have eight homegrown players, their maximum squad size reduces. Indeed, if a club hypothetically had only six homegrown players, they would only be able to name a 23-man squad.