Football news, transfer rummours and gossip - pods to allow Premier League fans to return

A system to help prevent the spread of coronavirus in an exhibition centre in Hong Kong could be key to allowing Premier League football to admit spectators back into grounds. The Sun reports that pods which use a temperature scan, and then spray both UV light and a disinfectant spray on a spectator within, could improve the safety of those at massed gatherings.

Paper Round’s view: Football without fans is nothing, goes the saying kicking around at the moment. Perhaps most importantly, the atmosphere of the Premier League depends on supporters being there to witness their clubs achievements, but ticket revenue is one of the highest sources of revenues for every club. Without that they will struggle to keep their incomes where they are now.

Former Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehman however has called for fans to be allowed into the grounds, in limited numbers. The German has recovered from coronavirus himself, and is quoted in the Mirror as saying: "I've not heard any reasonable counter-arguments so far. If only one seat in four is occupied, there is sufficient distance between people. Anybody who breaks the social distancing rules would be chucked out and given a stadium ban. I generally agree with what [Wolfgang] Schauble says. We need to get Germany up and running once more, so the economy can survive the crisis.”

Paper Round’s view: Lehman’s plan would probably serve to keep most people at a ground safe, but there would be bottlenecks for those going into and out of the ground, and communal areas such as toilets and bars would have to be monitored and policed so intensely that it might simply not be worth the hassle of allowing.

The Mail reports that a source is sceptical over the claims made by the Qatari channel beIN Sport over the potential takeover of Newcastle United by the Saudi Arabian state investment fund. The source says that: “If the Newcastle takeover goes through as expected then Saudi will start preparing to buy the Premier League TV rights. It is an open tender process that is due to start next year and they have the financial power to outbid Qatar”

Paper Round’s view: The idea that there should be commercial tie-ups in the Saudi Arabian economy and in the wider Middle East is something that should already be addressed in regulations in the Premier League when it comes to clubs owned by states. The biggest reason to keep the Saudi state out of any ownership of teams remains their human rights abuses.

The Telegraph reports on a new work permit scheme to be established for football clubs wishing to bring in players from abroad. The FA and Premier League are negotiating with the government and want points to be decided by international caps, the league they are joining from, and their past experience to be taken into account. The government also wants 12 homegrown players in squads of 25.

Paper Round’s view: There are no persuasive moral arguments that suggest that protectionism should be in force by western countries on their borders. To shut out other nations in football or any other industry holds back business, culture and also the notion of fairness, so any controls put in place by the government have to be fought by the Premier League and wider society.