Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Arsene Wenger: FIFA were RIGHT to hit Barcelona with transfer ban
ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger has lent his support to FIFA in their decision to sanction Barcelona with a year-long transfer ban but he insists there needs to be a change in the rules.
FIFA imposed a transfer embargo on Barcelona who breached the rules over the transfer of players aged under 18.
The La Liga champions were hit with a £305,000 fine although they are set to appeal against it.
Though Wenger agrees with FIFA's decision, he believes the system needs to be re-examined to prevent a repeat situation.
"Certainly they have not respected the rules," Wenger said.
"The rule is quite simple, you cannot move the players before the age of 16 unless their parents move for professional reasons, so that of course creates a bit of a debate - do the parents move for professional reasons or not?
Certainly they have not respected the rules
"In this case, FIFA has judged the parents moved for football reasons and that is why they were banned because they have not respected the rules.
"I think the rules need to be changed, because there is more competition now to get the young players, and you will always be in a debate as to why did the parents move?
"There is more money in the game, so the parents will be tempted to give their young boys a chance to have a great career."
Barcelona have previously been critical of Arsenal for snaffling their youth in the past including Cesc Fabregas.