Premier League and Championship clubs will now be able to sign up to four overseas players per season who do not meet the current points requirements of the international visa system.
The Football Association confirmed it had designed a "new football solution" which comes into effect for this summer's transfer window. While Bristol City's transfer strategy is in place, with the Robins having made two additions so far this window, with a third to arrive, is does enable them to look beyond these borders and make use of a expanded scouting operation, similar to when they signed Niclas Eliasson and Han-Noah Massengo.
Clubs in Leagues One and Two will be able to sign up to two overseas players per season who do not meet the regular Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) criteria, which have been approved by the Home Office, opening up the European market for Joey Barton and his recruitment team at Bristol Rovers should they wish to proceed down that route. The most recent signing the Gas have made of a non-British player from outside the UK was the arrival of Dutch goalkeeper Jordi van Stappershoef from Volendam in 2019.
