Martinez fears for young players if FIFA ban emergency loans

Rob Conlon
Roberto Martinez: Everton manager worried about FIFA plans

Roberto Martinez:

Everton manager Roberto Martinez says he is worried about the future of young players as FIFA plan to force the FA to ban emergency loans.

Should FIFA go through with their plans then Football League clubs will be unable to sign players on temporary deals outside the summer and January transfer windows.

And Martinez – who has helped nurture the likes of Ross Barkley and John Stones at the Toffees – believes such actions will seriously stunt the development of young English players.

“We don’t help our youngsters enough in the English game,” the Spaniard told The Sun.

“There’s a risk because sometimes you are fighting relegation or going for the league or Europe. My worry is next season when the emergency loans disappear, which means we then can’t send out young players to get vital experience.

“You can use that experience as a guide in your judgement of when to put them in your team. Now we will not be allowed to send players out on loan so they’ll struggle to develop.”

Barkley is one such player who has benefited from spending time down the divisions, having had spells at Sheffield Wednesday and Leeds United.

Young left-back Luke Garbutt – who broke into the Everton first-team last season – is currently on loan at Fulham, while forward Conor McAleny joined Charlton on a temporary basis in September.