CLUBS TO CURB PLAYER HOLIDAYS

PREMIER LEAGUE clubs plan to give players just two weeks off ahead of what could be a mammoth 335day campaign. Several top-flight clubs have pencilled in the week commencing August 10 for players to start pre-season training ahead of the truncated 2020-21 campaign. With the current season due to finish on July 26, players will be required to cut short their summer holidays and clubs have told players they would prefer them to stay in the UK. The new season is expected to kick off on September 12, though clubs did not confirm the date at yesterday’s shareholders meeting. Manchester City, Manchester United and Wolves may still be completing the 2019-20 season when clubs begin pre-season due to European commitments.

International football also returns at the start of September meaning players will spend at least a week away from clubs just days before the start of the new season. Associations across Europe fear players — particularly those still involved in European competition — will pull out of national squads due to the chaotic schedule. Footballers face a gruelling 2020-21 campaign because games will be crammed into a shorter period due to this season overrunning. FA Cup replays may be scrapped. The winter break, which came into effect for the first time this season, could go and the Carabao Cup is under threat. The season must be completed by May 16 to allow for a fixed rest period ahead of the delayed Euro 2020 Championships, which start on June 11. Meanwhile, Chelsea midfielder Billy Gilmour could miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.