Arsene Wenger: 'Loan players should be allowed to face parent club'

Arsene Wenger has said that a regulation preventing loan players from lining up against their parent clubs should be abolished.

The current rules prohibit those on temporary contracts from taking to the pitch against their permanent club.

The Arsenal manager told reporters: "The system of loaning out players has existed for a while. I'm not against it, I just think that the players should be allowed to play against the team who has loaned them out as well.

"I always pleaded for that because there is no reason once you signed for a club that you should not be allowed to play against everybody. When you sign for a club it means 'I commit for every single game I play for this club'. There should be no exception.

"I remember I had that case with Francis Jeffers [a few years ago] when I loaned him out and I always said 'yes, if I loan a player out I allow him to play against us'. Even, as in the case of Jeffers, he scored against us. I just think it is right."

Arsenal face Everton in the Premier League this weekend.