Reports are out that the Premier League’s ‘Big Six’ have united in a move to reject calls for a cut-off date for the current season.
It had earlier been reported on Thursday that some clubs are expected to push for a June 30 cut-off point at a Premier League meeting on Friday, amid the perception that the season cannot extend into July. However The Sun reports that the League’s Big Six do not hold that view, saying that they have put up a united front and will put forward their desire to play the remaining games out in full.
This would inadvertently mean that the Big Six would require just one other top-flight side to join their ranks in order to put a block on the rest of the league’s push for a definitive cut-off point.
The issue of players whose contracts will terminate on June 30 is currently one of the greatest concerns for the league’s clubs.
July 12 had previously been set as a key date in the Premier League calendar because completing the matches by then would obviate repayments to broadcast partners but that date has since been brought forward after a number of clubs having received legal advice especially pertaining to the subject of player contracts.
Clubs have been advised that English contractual law would supersede any arbitrary or emergency arrangements introduced by the governing body and players could not be legally held to FIFA’s rulings, despite FIFA’s announcement that they will bring in special measures to protect clubs and players whose contracts expire on July 30, the official end of the European season. This gives rise to the possibility of loaned players, or those out of contract, being able to walk away from their clubs on July 1, even if the campaign was underway but incomplete.
The latest report claims that the Big Six’s resolve is being further driven by the prospect of total losses of £580million if the season is cancelled. In a concerted effort to circumnavigate this, Premier League bosses have come up with a number of restart scenarios in June, July or August, with the latter also allowing next season to run on time if the Carabao Cup is scrapped.
The league supremos will also be studying all other options as viable alternatives to voiding the season, especially with Bundesliga and Serie A bosses hinting at potential resumptions in May.
UEFA is understood to also be keen for all remaining matches in the domestic leagues to be played, but April 23’s meeting is likely to see the subject of possibly ending them early at least discussed. The football governing body is considering the option of finishing the Champions League and Europa League competitions in August once domestic leagues are completed.
If domestic leagues are up and running some time in the next couple of months, then UEFA could decide to play them alongside the league action as they do in normal circumstances.
The understanding is that if it is not until July or August that the action is under way then UEFA would be more likely to play the remainder of the two competitions in a condensed timeframe, culminating at the end of the August.