Burnley Chair Mike GarlickGETTY IMAGES
Two club chairs said that Brexit could be "hugely damaging" to English football, according to the BBC. Premier League side Burnley Chair Mike Garlick said that uncertainty over a deal with the European Union is "already making it harder for clubs to sign players." League Championship side Stoke City Chair Peter Coates added that the Premier League "could be hit by freedom-of-movement restrictions." Garlick: "The destructive Brexit path being pursued by the government threatens to have a hugely damaging effect on clubs across the country. It threatens to make the widening inequality gap in our top division even worse." Currently, players from the EU are allowed to play professional football in England "as part of freedom-of-movement rules," while those from outside the EU "need work permits." The government is in negotiations with the EU over an agreement on the future relationship between the two -- if negotiations fail, it could mean a "no deal" Brexit, which may jeopardize those freedom-of-movement rules (BBC, 8/16).
