Liverpool Banned from Signing Academy Players for 2 Years, Fined for Rule Breach

Liverpool have received a two-year ban prohibiting the club from signing academy players. The Reds have also been hit with a fine for breaking recruitment rules, per Ed Aarons of The Guardian:

The punishment has been incurred following the attempted recruitment of a schoolboy on the books at Stoke City.

Last week, Ben Rumsby of the Daily Telegraph reported how the Premier League was investigating Liverpool's attempts to sign a 12-year-old from the Potters. The Merseyside club had offered an inducement to the youngster, offering to pay his school fees until he turned 16 in a clear breach of rules.

However, the Reds backed off the deal and this commitment, per another report from Rumsby. Now Liverpool know the cost of their tapping up and inducement.

The Anfield club has accepted the ban, according to Andy Kelly of the Liverpool Echo. Kelly detailed how the second year of the ban is suspended for three years and can be enforced if there are any similar violations.

Kelly also counted the cost such a ban may have on the club's ability to underpin its senior squad with young talent: "Players such as Raheem Sterling, Jordon Ibe, Ovie Ejaria, Rhian Brewster and Sheyi Ojo have all arrived at Kirkby from other English clubs in recent years, so the ban could prove exceedingly costly."

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Kelly's point is well-taken since Liverpool can't compete financially with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City. It is therefore incumbent on the Reds producing a healthy batch of homegrown players, along with selective spending in the transfer market.

Manager Jurgen Klopp will now find one half of this two-pronged approach hamstrung by the ban.

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