CORONAVIRUS : ARSENAL ASK PLAYERS TO STAY AWAY FROM TRAINING GROUND

Arsenal statement: “Stay at home and save lives”

Arsenal have cancelled plans to resume training on Tuesday, telling players to remain at home because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The men’s first-team squad were due back in training this week after completing their 14-day self-isolation period following head coach Mikel Arteta testing positive for the virus.But, as the UK faces the prospect of a total lockdown, Arsenal now say it would be “inappropriate and irresponsible to ask players to come back at this time”.

Arsenal gave an update on Arteta last week, saying the Spaniard is “feeling much better”and is back planning for the remainder of the season as well as speaking to his players.

Arsenal gave an update on Arteta last week, saying the Spaniard is “feeling much better”and is back planning for the remainder of the season as well as speaking to his players.


Arteta’s diagnosis earlier this month led to the postponement of Arsenal’s Premier League match against Brighton, scheduled for March 14, before the rest of England’s top-flight fixtures were suspended, originally until April 4 and then extended to April 30.

The Premier League will resume talks over the impact of the coronavirus pandemic at its next club meeting on April 3.

Sky Sports News has been told a return date of June 1 is one of several put forward for consideration, but clubs did not discuss fixture modelling in detail during an emergency call on March 19.

Arsenal said in a statement: “Our men’s first-team players were scheduled to return to training on Tuesday after completing 14 days isolation following Mikel Arteta’s positive diagnosis for the virus.

“As a result of the current situation we are clear it would be inappropriate and irresponsible to ask players to come back at this time. Therefore our men’s first team, women and academy players are all remaining at home.