Sunderland boss Roy Keane says limiting foreigners in the Premiership won't hurt the Big Four.

"Maybe it would give an advantage to a club that can't really compete with the big boys yet - I don't know," he told the Sunday Sun.

"It might redress the balance in the top four a bit, but then I'm sure the top clubs would find another way of getting an advantage.

"The big clubs will always buy the best of whatever talent there was available.

"It's a vicious circle."

The proposals are mainly designed to force clubs to develop more homegrown talent, but Keane insists that clubs such as Arsenal - who often field 10 foreign players or more - deserve praise for their scouting networks rather than criticism.

He said: "I have never been critical of managers who have looked abroad and brought players in.

"The likes of Arsenal and clubs like them deserve a lot of credit for their scouting systems.

"Instead of signing players for £15-20m, they are finding players through their scouting system and working hard to identify talent and turn them into top footballers."