Derry City transfers hit by Brexit bureaucracy

Derry City Football Club have said post-Brexit transfer rules have created difficulties in signing non-British and non-Irish players and are calling for the process to be streamlined.

The Candystripes, who are second in the League of Ireland Premier Division, have not signed a player outside of the UK and Ireland since February 2019 because of restrictive immigration rules.

Former Liverpool defender Andre Wisdom was unveiled as Derry City's latest signing this week in the final days of the transfer window for unsigned players.

Club manager Ruaidhrí Higgins said while they are "obviously restricted" they are not complaining.

"We have people in the background working extremely hard on this. Hopefully a resolution can be found," Higgins said.

Derry City need a work permit from the UK Home Office for international players.

A permit is awarded on a points-based system as part of the Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) Criteria Points Based System.

The GBE system requires that players secure 15 points to get a pass mark.

Players are assessed on international appearances, domestic minutes played, continental minutes played, continental progression, final league position and league quality.

"We haven’t got anybody through this process," says Derry City Technical Director Mark McChrystal,

He said the GBE Criteria Points Based System is probably "aimed towards real top end players," adding that if it became "more streamlined" that it would help the club and the league.

Mark McChrystal says anything to do with players coming to the north involves the Irish FA (Northern Ireland’s football association) and the UK Home Office.

"There’s a case for everybody to be involved and see where we can go with it," he said.

A Home Office spokesperson said they