CRISIS TALKS OVER PLAYERS’ INTERNATIONAL TRIPS

PREMIER LEAGUE bosses have held crunch talks in a bid to resolve the chaos likely to be caused by this month’s international break. Top-flight directors of football convened on a conference call to discuss the problem which leaves players at risk of having to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days when they return from representing their countries. Sportsmail understands Everton were among the most vocal of those against players going to countries on the government’s red list, while Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp became the first manager yesterday to say he would stop his stars from travelling if they have to quarantine for 10 days. FIFA have told clubs they are not obliged to release players if they are required to quarantine upon return, but

some clubs are reluctant to ban their stars travelling and will let them decide. They are confident their players will choose not to enter red-list countries when faced with having to quarantine. On last week’s call, clubs were told there are two levels of restrictions. Players who have travelled to non-red-list countries would have a special work exemption allowing them to train and play matches. While not at work, they would be able to quarantine at home for up to 10 days, but would be released from restrictions if they return a negative Covid test after five days. However, as it stands, players who travel to red-list destinations would have to quarantine in a Governmentapproved hotel for 10 days. That scenario is one that Klopp suggested would be unacceptable to Liverpool. Brazil want to call up Alisson, Roberto Firmino and Fabinho for their World Cup qualifiers against Colombia and Argentina, but the whole of South America is on the red list. Portugal’s Diogo Jota and Guinea’s Naby Keita would also be forced to quarantine if they chose to represent their respective countries. That would rule them out of games against Arsenal and Aston Villa, plus a potential Champions League quarter-final first leg. Klopp said: ‘I think all the clubs agree that we cannot just let the boys go and then sort the situation when they come back by placing our players in a 10-day quarantine in a hotel. ‘It is just not possible. This is a time where we cannot make everyone happy and the players are paid by the clubs so we have to be first priority.’ Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer echoed that last night, saying: ‘It doesn’t make sense to travel when we are paying them if they have to come back and be away for 10 days. So that’s a chat we will have with the players.’