Champions League clubs would be BANNED from signing each others’ players under plans being discussed

European football clubs are considering new rules that would ban Champions League sides from selling each other players.

The extraordinary idea was raised by Andrea Agnelli, the chairman of the European Clubs Association, following the organisation’s 25th General Assembly.

Agnelli, who is also the chairman of Juventus, said the scheme could help create a more competitive balance in European football.

Andrea Agnelli chairman of the European Clubs Association has raised the idea that Champions League clubs could be banned from signing each others’ players

Answering a question following the ECA meeting from a German journalist about salary caps, Agnelli talked about finding alternative ways to secure financial fair play, within football.

‘Clubs qualifying to specific tiers in international competitions would not be allowed to buy each other’s players,’ he suggested.

‘That would improve indirect solidarity towards other clubs. So, no triple figure transfers among Champions League participating clubs. These are elements we are discussing.’

If a ban was already in place it would have precluded some of the biggest transfers in recent history.

Among those deals that would not have been done, would be Neymar’s £198 million move from Barcelona to Paris Saint Germain in 2017, or Kylian Mbappe’s transfer from Monaco to Paris for £165 million a year later, after a loan spell at the Parc des Princes.

Other transfers that would have fallen foul of the ban would be Paul Pogba’s 2016 switch from Juventus to Manchester United for £89 million and Antoine Griezmann’s 2019 transfer from Atletico Madrid to Barcelona for £108 million.