Arsène Wenger has called for English football’s “politically correct” work permit system to be abolished in order to help Premier League clubs produce the best players in the world.

Wenger claims Arsenal would have signed Ángel di María as a teenager had it not been for the work permit issue.

Asked what solution he would endorse, Wenger said: “Ideally it would be to open it completely: anyone can come in. Because at the moment we are in a position where they force you to spend money on a player who sometimes you have identified.” He cited Di María as an example, explaining that he had spotted the player in an underage youth tournament nearly a decade ago and wanted to sign him but was unable to do so, leaving Di María to join Benfica instead.

“We had identified Di María when he was 17,” Wenger said. “We wanted him to come here. But he goes to Portugal and from Portugal he goes to Spain. Why? Because he could not get a work permit. That means that he can only come to England once he’s worth a huge amount of money. What does it mean if at the end of the day he comes into the country anyway, with the only difference being it’s for a huge amount of money. And who do you pay that to? A club like Real Madrid, who don’t need the money.”