Friday 9 August 2019 11:19, UK
There are still several players, including some big names, who are without a club as the new Premier League season begins this weekend.
Fernando Llorente, Daniel Sturridge, Mario Balotelli, Wilfried Bony and Saido Berahino are five of the strikers who are free agents, while Franck Ribery, Hatem Ben Arfa, Bakary Sako, and Danny Simpson are also on the list.
Clubs can sign free agents at any time, and will not run into any potential obstacles with the league should the players be registered and named in their final 25-man squads for the season, which are published on September 2.
If a club wants to change its squad list after September 2 by bringing in a free agent, a request must be sent to the Premier League Board.
Generally speaking, if there is a space in the squad, approval is likely to be given, but bumping someone out is unlikely to be permitted as it goes against the spirit of the rule.
If a club wants a free-agent player to play in the Premier League, that player must be registered and named in the 25-man squad issued by 12pm the day before the game.
If the free-agent player joins after that point, it is then down to the Premier League Board to decide whether they can be given special dispensation to play.
