Premier League clubs have been forced to put pre-season tours on hold, with some set to miss out on millions.
Sportsmail understands a series of top-flight clubs, including Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Manchester United, were due to announce in the next few weeks where they would be heading for summer trips, in a bid to cash in on the Premier League’s global appeal.
But the coronavirus pandemic has seen plans shelved with fears growing that such trips may now be off-limits.
Last month, Sportsmail reported that clubs would trust their in-house medical departments to rule on whether summer tours to China could go ahead. However, the escalation of the outbreak globally has led to those plans being paused.
The logistical issues of travelling to countries which will be at different stages of the pandemic — coupled with the need for players to have a break after what is set to be at best an extended season — presents an extra issue which could make overseas trips impossible.
Travel departments at a number of clubs, already stressed by the current uncertainty, have been asked to draw up alternative plans.
There is a slim chance that the situation may work in clubs’ favour when football restarts. With Uefa set to announce today that Euro 2020 will be delayed by 12 months, some are hoping they will be able to take a full squad of stars on tour, which they are unable to do when their players are involved in summer tournaments.
However, it seems more likely that low key pre-season work with fixtures in Britain and Ireland will become the new norm.