Arsenal could benefit from a work permit rule change currently being pushed by the FA and pending approval ahead of the summer window.

England's forward #17 Bukayo Saka (L) celebrates with his teammate midfielder #04 Declan Rice after scoring his team's second goal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group B football match between England and Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on November 21, 2022. (Photo by JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images)
England’s forward #17 Bukayo Saka (L) celebrates with his teammate midfielder #04 Declan Rice after scoring his team’s second goal during the Qatar 2022 World Cup Group B football match between England and Iran at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on November 21, 2022. (Photo by JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images)

The Times report that Premier League and EFL clubs are close to agreeing to back an FA plan to allow them to sign up to four promising overseas players who would not currently be eligible for a work permit.

Under the new system, the more minutes you give to English-qualified players, the more currently-ineligible overseas players you can sign outside of the work permit points system.

If the clubs sign the proposal off, the FA will take the plan to the Home Office and present it as an option to bring in this summer.

The FA proposal would allow clubs who give English-qualified players 35% or more of their minutes to sign four overseas players who couldn’t otherwise get a work permit.

Clubs in the 30-35% bracket would be allowed three players, and below that you would be allowed two players.

Arsenal's Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (L) shouts instructions to the players from the touchline to Arsenal's English goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on April 26, 2023. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)
Arsenal’s Spanish manager Mikel Arteta (L) shouts instructions to goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale during the English Premier League football match between Manchester City and Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on April 26, 2023. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)

Looking at Arsenal, Mikel Arteta gave 11,079 minutes to English or England-eligible players in the first 36 games of the Premier League campaign, split between Ramsdale, White, Holding, Smith Rowe, Nwaneri, Saka, Nketiah, and Nelson.

That’s 31.1% of Arsenal’s Premier League minutes, and the percentage will stay above 30 as long as Arteta gives another 207 minutes to English players in the final two games of the season.

That will be easy, with Saka, Ramsdale, and White likely to start both games.

So Arsenal will fall into the 30-35% bracket, and they would be allowed to sign three players who couldn’t get a work permit under the current system.

The Gunners should find it just as easy to hit those marks in the coming seasons.

Saka, Ramsdale, and White look likely to remain nailed-on starters, there’s strong interest in Declan Rice, and the likes of Nelson (if he stays), Nketiah, and Smith Rowe could easily be involved a lot more.

That’s before we look at the next generation, with Reuell Walters often in the Premier League squad in recent weeks, and talented youngsters like Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly sure to get chances if they stay.

The Gunners should be well-placed to hit the FA’s new targets and grab themselves some extra spots for promising overseas talents.