Concussion substitutes will be trialled in the Premier League in response to mounting concern over head injuries, clubs agreed Wednesday.
Teams will be allowed to make up to two additional substitutions for players with suspected or confirmed concussion.
The trial will begin once the league resolves with FIFA and football's global lawmaking body, IFAB, how to deal with private medical information from players.
“With player welfare the Premier League’s priority, the protocols will allow a maximum of two concussion substitutes to be used per team, with the opposition side able to use the equivalent number," the league said. “The additional concussion substitutions may be made regardless of the number of substitutions a team has already made.”
The move comes with Wolverhampton Wanderers striker Raul Jimenez still working his way back to fitness from the fractured skull he suffered in a clash of heads with Arsenal defender David Luiz in November. Luiz initially played on, but had to be replaced at halftime as a result of the collision.
