CORONAVIRUS AND THE EPL

BAME stars fear they face extra coronavirus risk in rush to finish Premier League season

A string of black and ethnic minority players fear the Premier League's rush to restart leaves them at risk of catching coronavirus.
The Intensive Care National Audit and Research Centre has found that a third of people in intensive care from the coronavirus are BAME.
Around 63 per cent of deaths within the medical profession are ethnic minority.

An urgent government task force has been set up to look into the cause for the spike.
It has left many players concerned that they could catch the virus and pass it on to older members of their families if they return too soon.
Top flight stars are already making a gradual return to training, observing social distancing.
Premier League chiefs are keen to get the season back underway 

But some fear not enough consideration is being given to the statistics which show that Black, Asian and minority ethnic people are disproportionately affected by the virus.
A letter issued by NHS England on Wednesday called on employers to carry out stringent risk assessment.
It read: “Emerging UK and international data suggests that people from BAME backgrounds are also being disproportionately affected by covid-19.
“Public Health England has been asked by the Department of Health and Social Care to investigate this.
A letter issued by NHS England on Wednesday called on employers to carry out stringent risk assessment 

“In advance of their report and guidance, on a precautionary basis, we commend employers should risk-assess staff at potentially greater risk and make appropriate arrangements accordingly.”
Meanwhile, Gary Neville has stressed football would not return for months were it not for the huge economic impact of coronavirus.
The UK is on lockdown until at least May 7 but the Premier League is working on its 'Project Restart' to get the 2019-20 season finished, while the English Football League board and its clubs are also holding meetings on a regular basis.
Neville told Sky Sports News: "We're hearing different things every day, but I think if this was a non-economic decision, there would be no football for months. What we're seeing now is that people are assessing risk. What is the risk we're willing to take to bring football back?

"If people are really serious about putting health first, we wouldn't be discussing football returning at this moment in time, but players themselves will want to go and play.
"Players at the lower levels will want to go and play because they'll recognise that the alternative is bad - 1,400 players are out of contract in three months so they'll need football to resume so their livelihoods can continue."

SOURCE: THE MIRROR 

HEADLINES FOR TODAY

​📌 Borussia Dortmund are “totally relaxed” about Jadon Sancho's future amid reported interest from Manchester United, according to sporting director Michel Zorc.

📌 Wilfred Ndidi insists he is happy at Leicester amid reported interest from Manchester United and @Arsenal.

📌 Tottenham, Everton and Southampton are among a host of clubs who have sent scouts to watch Strasbourg defender Mohamed Simakan, according to RMC Sport.

📌 Manchester United are reluctant to break the £89million fee they paid for Paul Pogba, according to the London Evening Standard, despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's determination to complete his squad overhaul this summer.

📌 Manuel Neuer has been urged to sign a new contract at Bayern Munich by honorary president Uli Hoeness.

📌 Tottenham are among a group of three clubs that submitted an offer for Barcelona midfielder Arthur, reports Catalunya Radio.

📌 Bayern Munich are preparing to snatch another Celtic starlet with Barry Hepburn set to head for Germany, according to the Scottish Sun.

📌 @Milan are keen on signing Luka Jovic this summer as a replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, according to reports in Italy.

📌 Watford have reportedly joined the race to sign @Inter full-back Kwadwo Asamoah, who has fallen out of favour at the San Siro.

📌 @Arsenal have jumped ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign the Chelsea winger Willian on a free transfer this summer, according to ESPN.

📌 Newcastle have opened talks with Napoli over defender Kalidou Koulibaly and also want to sign PSG striker Edinson Cavani and Real Betis forward Nabil Fekir, according to Foot Mercato in France.

📌 Newcastle could make a move for Philippe Coutinho if they are taken over, according to Mundo Deportivo.

📌 Manchester City are keen to boost their defensive depth by signing Juventus centre-half Leonardo Bonucci, according to Goal.com.

📌 Chelsea are keeping a close eye on the highly-rated Bayer Leverkusen forward Kai Havertz, according to The Athletic.

📌 Chelsea came close to signing Neymar three years before he left Santos for Barcelona, according to one of the now PSG star's former agents (The Sun)

📌 Liverpool are closing on an unlikely financial boost as Juventus want to sign Luis Alberto, who the Anfield club included a 30 per cent sell-on fee on when they sold him to Lazio in 2016 (Daily Express)

📌 Bukayo Saka left @Arsenal fans scratching their heads when he posted a cryptic social media video amid speculation Borussia Dortmund are plotting a move for the left-back (Daily Mirror)

📌 Tottenham have joined the race to sign Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic after he admitted he is considering his future at the club, according to Mundo Deportivo.

📌 Liverpool have stepped up their bid to sign Kylian Mbappe with Jurgen Klopp reportedly contacting the PSG forward’s father in a bid to bring him to Anfield, according to Le10sport.

📌 Everton transfer chief Marcel Brands is teeing up Dutch AZ Alkmaar star Teun Koopmeiners for a £12m swoop, according to The Sun On Sunday.

📌 @Inter have emerged as frontrunners to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with @Arsenal ready to sell this summer after pulling the plug on contract talks with the striker, according to the Sunday Express.

📌 Jose Mourinho is interested in signing right-back Thomas Meunier on a free transfer but will have to convince chairman Daniel Levy to relax his desire to bring down the average age of the Tottenham squad. (Sunday Telegraph)

#TransferCentre

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FERNANDINHO NOW

: Fernandinho wants to sign another new contract at Manchester City that would take him to the age of 37 despite having only signed a new deal in January


Fernandinho says he wants to sign another new deal at Manchester City
The Brazil international only put pen to paper on a new contract in January
If he was to sign another one-year deal it would take him to the age of 37

Fernandinho is eager to sign another contract at Manchester City despite having signed a new deal as recently as January.
The Brazil international's current contract is set to run until the summer of 2021, and another one year deal would take him to the age of 37.

Fernandinho, who has been at City since 2013, says that the club 'will always be in my heart'.
Fernandinho has revealed that he wants to sign another contract at Manchester City
Fernandinho told Sky Sports: 'First of all, I just want to get back to work and play again. I extended my contract a couple of months ago and I am so happy, but after that, we'll see.

'If we have another conversation about another contract in the future, I would be happy. But if not, I would be happy as well because I know what I have done for this club and what this club has done for me, how they have helped me. This time has been a pleasure for me.

'Manchester City will always be in my heart. That's for sure.'
The Brazil international only signed his latest contract, which runs until 2021, in January
During his time at City Fernandinho has made over 300 appearances and has won an array of trophies, including three league titles.

A dependable performer, despite usually being a midfielder, he has featured prominently at centre-back this season.
Fernandinho has been a key figure in City's recent success and at this stage it wouldn't be surprising if he was to see out the rest of his career at the club.
This season Fernandinho has made 31 appearances for City across all competitions and has captained the side on many occasions. 

SOURCE: SKY SPORTS

WAS UNITED A MISTAKE?

Paul Pogba "told off" by ex-Juventus star Claudio Marchisio for Man Utd transfer mistake
Paul Pogba was "told off" by former Juventus teammate Claudio Marchisio over his transfer to Man Utd, who claimed the Frenchman had made a mistake.

The pair featured in the same Juventus side during Pogba's spell at the club from 2012-2016, prior to his mega-money return to United.
His second stint at United has not gone as well as first hoped, and he has now been linked with a switch back to Juventus this summer.

And Marchisio has already been on Pogba's case about him returning to play for the Old Lady.
“Last year I met him at a private event and told him off, saying he got it wrong when deciding to go to Manchester and should’ve remained with the Bianconeri,” Marchisio told Sport Mediaset (via Football Italia ).
Pogba was told he had made a mistake by joining Man Utd (Image: Offside via Getty Images)
"Now things have changed a bit, the Juve midfield has changed, but I hope he returns, because it’d be good for both parties.
"He already knows Serie A, would increase the quality in a squad that is formidable anyway."

United are still keen on holding onto Pogba's services and are hoping their mini-revival following the signing of Bruno Fernandes will convince the midfielder to stay put.
But former United defender Rio Ferdinand believes Pogba may be better off plying his trade outside of England.
"If I’m him and I’ve been treated the way he has with the media etc I’d be saying, 'You know what I don’t need this in my life," Ferdinand said.

"I think it’s unfair some of the criticism he gets and some of that is based on social media presence which I think is ridiculous.
"Some players in my era did far worse things that would influence the dressing room but it got swept under the carpet. I don’t get it.
"He’s a player, he lives and breathes football, social media goes before him a lot of the time I believe