FIFA president Sepp Blatter insists that England will benefit from his new proposal to limit the amount of foreign players in domestic leagues.Blatter is looking to push through a world-wide scheme which would see club sides only allowed to play five foreign players.

Many countries have expressed concerns at the measure, including the Premier League - where some sides have very few English players featuring on a regular basis.

But Blatter points to England's failure to qualify for Euro 2008 as a good reason for the Premier League to back his plans.

"Football is unpredictable and sometimes without any logic but it is a fact that in the strongest English teams the best players are not always English," he said.

"So where are the best English players coming from? They are coming from the less strong teams, which is weakening the English national team.

"What is happening in England is that the best teams are preparing the national team players for England's opponents.

"The Premier League has benefited the other countries taking part in the European championships, but not England."

Blatter was speaking as he set to for meetings with the European Union and the president of the European parliament Hans-Gert Poettering.

One of the main hurdles for Blatter and is scheme, is whether it contravenes EU employment law.

"I am very happy that this has been accepted that the dialogue goes on, as long as we discuss, there is always a way to find possible solutions," he told Reuters.

"It's not only about the figure six plus five.

"The objective is also the motivation of young players, the education of young players, to bring back an equilibrium in the competition, and naturally to have a strong national team and to give access to national team players to play in the best clubs.

"We are very prepared to take over this offer and to start a good dialogue to try to find whenever a solution on this matter. We have said we shall do that to explore it in the limit of the law."

Blatter also needs to convince Uefa and their president Michel Platini about the merits of his plan.

"There has been much opposition to the plan since we first went public with it at the FIFA Congress in Munich two years ago, and the opposition is still coming from Uefa who want to remain on good terms with the European Union.

"But the EU is a political union with 27 independent states covering 30 football associations and one parliament and one commission.

"French President, Mr Sarkozy said that there must be an exemption for sport and this will be a matter for him when he has the presidency of the European Union from July 1.

"There has to be a solution and sport has to have an exemption.

"You also cannot have 27 European states making the rules for 208 members of FIFA from all over the world It is not possible.

"We are saying to the politicians, do not think that Europe is alone in the world. Everyone preaches solidarity but then they should show some more solidarity themselves. We have to defend the integrity of the worldwide game."

Blatter also dismissed suggestions that big clubs, unhappy with the quota idea, could form a breakaway.

"If it becomes EU law, then it will be a football law as well, and the clubs will accept it. There will be no breakaway," he added.

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