April 16 – English Premier League clubs are to meet tomorrow (Friday) to discuss, among other things, placing a June 30 deadline on the 2019-20 season because of the thorny issue of player contracts.
FIFA has already agreed on the principle of pushing contracts beyond that date to allow domestic seasons to finish, but the clubs appear to want to get the campaign done and dusted without the need to do that, increasingly concerned about scores of potentially unresolved cases if the season extends into July.
Quite how the Premier League can decide one way or the other without any firm guidance from public health authorities remains an obvious question.
Whatever happens games will be played behind closed doors if and when the green light is given, if clubs decide to play in July or later, or calculate they can close out the league before June 30.
Most Premier League teams have nine games left to play, including runaway leaders Liverpool who had a 25-point advantage when games were suspended last month.
One idea reportedly is being considered if the campaign isn’t completed is to promote current Championship top two Leeds and West Brom, not relegate anyone from the top flight and go with a 22-team competition next season.
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