Manchester United are scared of losing out on Europe's top talent to Barcelona and Real Madrid after Brexit.
Britain leaving the European Union in 2019 could see Premier League clubs being forced to adhere to FIFA rules about bagging 16 and 17-year-old talent.
At the moment United and other English giants are able to navigate around FIFA's regulations, which ban sides from signing under 18s, as they are part of the European Economic Arena.
But the UK could leave the agreement under the terms of last year's referendum - which is likely to stop them from nabbing youngsters.
One player who wouldn't have been able to join would have been Paul Pogba - as he was 16-years-old when we was snatched from Le Havre in 2009.
“There’s a practical, operational issue around Brexit,” United chief financial officer Cliff Baty told a KPMG football finance forum, via AP.
“With regard to bringing in players from Europe and losing competitive advantage from the likes of ourselves against Real Madrid and Barcelona.
“If you have 16-year-olds going to play for them and if we have to wait until 18 there are clearly practical issues there. I’m sure that will be discussed. It’s certainly something the Premier League are aware of.”
Another effect of Brexit is that European based stars are starting to want their wages paid in Euros- which offer a better exchange rate.
“It was a bit difficult last year when you’re trying to make signings in the summer and you have players questioning the value of being paid in (pounds) sterling,” Baty said.
“A lot of European players want to be paid or want to have their value to be underpinned in euros. That’s understandable to a degree, but we are not a Euro company. We obviously earn most of our income in sterling.
“Last year was a bit difficult ... but you aren’t going to lose a signing over that. It just makes the finances a bit more complicated.”
