Emile Heskey Exclusive: Connection Between Players And Fans Ruined By PSR

The summer transfer window closes at 2pm on Monday, September 1, and teams continue to look to strengthen their squads accordingly. 

Many deals will be forced upon clubs, which must comply with the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) introduced to prevent teams from overspending.

Emile Heskey, who made over 500 Premier League appearances for clubs including Liverpool, Leicester and Aston Villa, believes the regulations are ruining the connection between fans and young, local players.

Gone are the days when a product from the academy spends their entire career at the club, as the club decides to cash in by selling them on to balance their books. 

In recent transfer windows, a number of home-grown players have left clubs they joined at an early age through no fault of their own.

One of those was Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, who joined Heskey's former club Leicester at the age of eight, before signing for Everton this summer after a season at Chelsea.

Jacob Ramsey is another who left his boyhood club (Aston Villa) to join Newcastle, while Morgan Rogers could also be on the move this summer and Heskey is disappointed to see these transfers happen.

"It is sad to be honest," Heskey said. 

"I think you have seen a few teams do it - Leicester had it with Dewsbury-Hall. 

"There are several clubs that are having to do that. It is sad. What about the fans' connection? 

"Fans saw that little lad [Ramsey] grow up and play in the local park, then they saw him play in the U15s and U18s.

"Then they saw him from the Holte End and now the club are saying - because of technicalities, Ramsey has to go.

"Same with Morgan. He has been such an inspiration for Villa in the way that they play, not just on the ball, but off it as well. 

“It seems like he's a bit of a leader and that he gets people going.

"Unfortunately, Villa are one of those in-between clubs, and when a top-four club comes calling, players are like ‘okay’.

"It is very tough for fans - and I don’t think they even understand why. I have only just really started to get my head around it all."

PSR Is Limiting The Number Of Title Challengers

During the closing stages of the last few seasons, the title race has come down to just two teams.

Arsenal were denied by Manchester City in back-to-back run-ins before Liverpool were crowned champions in May, finishing 10 points ahead of the Gunners.

Mikel Arteta's side are the favourites on football betting sites to win their first title since 2004, while the defending champions are next in the market.

Heskey, who will represent Liverpool in the Manchester Masters at the AO Arena on September 5, feels the PSR are preventing more clubs from mounting a serious challenge for the title.

"With PSR, it is a glass ceiling," Heskey told Gambling.com. 

"In my time, Leeds just overspent and then they ended up with what happened to them.

"However, you have got clubs like Newcastle who can spend the money, but they are not able to. 

"So you are hindering them from really challenging and having five or six teams actually fighting for top spot. 

"Now we have still got only two or three clubs that can really fight for the title. 

"You have got to be able to spend the money and this is where it comes down to the clubs that are coming up [from the Championship]. 

"Unless they can spend the money on real quality, you will find that they will keep going back down and that will not look good for the league.

"They have to figure out how to bring that all together so that it is actually more even."

No Cause For Villa Concern Just Yet

Aston Villa finished sixth last season to qualify for the Europa League, but they have started the new campaign slowly. 

One point from their opening two games - a goalless draw at home to Newcastle and a 1-0 defeat at Brentford - is not what Villa boss Unai Emery would have wanted. 

Crystal Palace visit Villa Park this weekend, and while it has not been the ideal start, Heskey is confident his former club can turn their fortunes around. 

"I think they will build their momentum up," Heskey told Gambling.com. 

"They have a fantastic manager in Emery, who knows the league.

"He has been a manager in the Premier League for several years. 

"He knows how to motivate his team and I think it will just be a matter of time. 

"Villa have been one of the clubs that have struggled with PSR, so they have had to sell a couple of their younger players to plug that gap - but I think they will be fine."