Football Transfer News: Fabio Capello Slams 'Theft of Talent'

With hardly a week to go before the transfer window is open, Fabio Capello has slammed top English clubs for "stealing" young talents.

According to the England team manager, the practice of netting young players from around the world by top Premier League clubs will have long-term consequences. Capello has also urged Fifa to initiate drastic action to tackle the tendency, according to a report in the Telegraph.

The practice, many feel, effectively prevents young, dynamic English talents from coming up.

The Italian has reportedly told a football conference in Dubai: "Clubs are talent-scouting all over the world and are stealing young players by bidding higher and not thinking of the consequences for those countries.

"A line needs to be drawn. Fifa should pass new rules. I've spoken to (Uefa President Michel) Platini and in the future clubs will be forbidden to steal players when they are very young."

According to the report, Capello was particularly frustrated by the fact that only a third of players in the Premier League are eligible for England, compared with 60 percent in Italy, his home country.

Capello was irritated when Germany deployed players of Polish and Turkish origin in their 2011 World Cup squad when they took on England as it had taken away players from their home countries, the report has noted.