A TARGET of 45 per cent English players in the Premier League by 2022, from the current 32 per cent, is the primary aim of the much-trumpeted England Commission report.

Football Association chairman Greg Dyke yesterday  unveiled a raft of proposals at Wembley aimed at bringing the plan to fruition, including the introduction of B teams in a new “League Three,” overhauling the work-permit system and increasing the number of home-grown players in squads.

The number of English players playing regularly in the Premier League is currently 66. Increasing that to 90 by 2022 was described as “ambitious but realistic” by Dyke.

The report states: “There should be 90 English players playing over 50 per cent of minutes in the Premier League compared with 66 today — of these 30 should be playing in the top six teams in the Premier League compared with the 18 today.”

It would, Dyke said, “take English football back to a figure last achieved in 2000.”

The most contentious proposal would be establishing a new League Three in 2016-17 made up of 10 Premier League B teams and 10 from the Conference. Of the B-team squad, 19 of the 25 should be under the age of 21, and 20 of the 25 should qualify for the home-grown rule and with no non-EU players allowed.

Clubs throughout the professional game have expressed deep reservations about that plan and the Football League said that, while it agreed with the overall aims “the report may not contain a solution that is acceptable at the current time.”

In terms of home-grown players allowed in each Premier League squad, the Commission recommends a phased reduction in the number of non- home-grown players from 17 to 12 — starting in 2016/17 and reaching that target by 2021.

On work permits, a cap on two non-EU players per squad is planned with no players on overseas visas allowed to play below the Premier League, nor loaned to any other England club.

Dyke said: “This decline (of homegrown players) is a problem in countries right across Europe but is a significantly bigger problem in England than anywhere else — and if the trend continues we fear for the future of the England team.

“If this cannot be reversed, a future England manager will have fewer and fewer top-level English players from which to choose.”

England manager Roy Hodgson commented: “I welcome the proposals and I know the chairman — and indeed everyone passionate about English football — would strongly advocate the findings and recommendations.”