Why Largie Ramazani ticks important EFL box as Leeds United exodus risked minimum squad threshold — YEP 22/8/24

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By Joe Donnohue

Soon-to-be Leeds United's newest signing, Largie Ramazani will be categorised as a 'homegrown' player, according to EFL rules, which could be important for the season ahead.

Ramazani is expected to be announced as a Leeds player later today [Thursday, August 22] after the completion of a medical and a fee worth up to £10 million was agreed with selling club Almeria.

The former Belgian youth international was registered to Charlton Athletic and Manchester United whilst still a teenager but lived in England for three consecutive years before his 21st birthday, meaning he qualifies as 'homegrown' under EFL rules.

Despite the fact Ramazani is not British, having spent three consecutive seasons - or 36 months - living in the United Kingdom whilst registered to English clubs, the 23-year-old will go towards Leeds' homegrown quota, just as the man he is replacing, Crysencio Summerville, did.

Summerville was registered to Leeds between the ages of 18 and 21 therefore qualified as homegrown, as well as a 'club-trained' player, which the EFL requires at least one of in each squad. While Ramazani will not be categorised as such at Elland Road, United do have other 'club-trained' professionals they can rely on to fulfil this requirement, namely Sam Byram. Joe Gelhardt, Alex Cairns and Mateo Joseph are all regarded as 'club-trained' players, per EFL definitions, too.

The league requires Leeds and all other member clubs to register at least eight homegrown players in their submitted 25-man squads at the end of the transfer window and a minimum of seven homegrown players in each matchday squad.

Following the departures of Jamie Shackleton, Charlie Cresswell, Summerville, Liam Cooper, Luke Ayling, Lewis Bate, Cody Drameh, Ian Poveda, Archie Gray and Glen Kamara this summer, Leeds' homegrown contingent had fallen to just 11 professionals.

As of January, Spanish striker Joseph will qualify as homegrown, while Pascal Struijk - despite being Dutch - also qualifies, in addition to the British core of Karl Darlow, Cairns, Joe Rodon, Byram, Ethan Ampadu, Jayden Bogle, Joe Rothwell, Dan James, Gelhardt and Patrick Bamford.

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