English footballers account only for less than a third of all the minutes played in the Premier League, according to a new study.
According to the BBC, in total, foreign players have completed 60.9 percent of minutes in the Premier League so far this season, up from 56.9 percent in 2007-08.
Former England captain Alan Shearer said that these were tough times for English football at the moment, and that everyone was aware that English football was not as healthy as it should be, adding that he was afraid it would all take more time.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger said that the figures were a concern but it was also an indication that the best players in the world play in England.
The findings come ahead of a crucial few days in England's campaign to reach for next summer's World Cup in Brazil, the report said.
