According to Sky Sports, the Scottish FA plans to provide financial incentives to clubs to encourage greater use of local young players.

The Scottish FA has announced a £1 million allocation to encourage clubs to increase playing time for Scottish-eligible players under 21.

Representatives from 42 clubs met in St Andrews on Friday to discuss how to improve playing standards and identify Scotland's next generation of international players.

The Scottish Cup and Scottish League Cup also plan to introduce quotas for homegrown players.

Clubs will be required to field two Scottish-eligible players under 21 in the starting lineup in all cup competitions, with at least one on the field at all times.

In all four league divisions, these players must average 60 minutes of playing time per match throughout the season.

Clubs that fail to meet league requirements will have 10% of their final prize money deducted and redistributed to clubs that do comply.

These three proposals will be put to a vote at the Scottish FA meeting in October and the Scottish Professional Football League AGM in November. If approved, they will be implemented from next season.

The summit reflects growing concerns about the declining number of Scottish homegrown players used by top-flight Scottish clubs.

Data shows an increasing number of young players being attracted to English club academies, raising fears they could be "lost" in large academy systems rather than breaking into first teams in Scotland.

Ian Maxwell, Scottish FA Chief Executive, said: "We all agree that Scottish football needs to create more consistent first-team opportunities for young players, and we firmly believe the proposals presented today are a positive step towards achieving that goal. Today's meeting is just the beginning of this process.

"Scotland's return to the World Cup has generated huge excitement for the national team, but it also highlights the need to plan ahead for the next generation.

"Clubs across Europe are demonstrating that giving young players game time does not necessarily compromise on-field results. We believe these proposals will both strengthen Scottish clubs and positively impact the national team in the future.

"We thank all the clubs who attended today and will continue to engage with all parties to find a solution that works for Scotland."

Craig Mulholland, Scottish FA Chief Football Officer, added: "Scottish football has reached a point where we must take a holistic approach to driving improvement.

"The time for assessment is over; the time for action is now. We must ensure young Scots are given the best opportunities to develop into top professional players.

"The introduction of the Club Academy Scotland system and the revamped KDM Evolution Trophy have already brought about improvements, but we are also clear that the lack of opportunities in the top flight is a concern.

"While we certainly want to do more, we believe that the inclusion of an Under-21 requirement in the Scottish Cup and League Cup, along with playing time targets for the Premiership, will be an important step forward for Scottish football."

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