Manchester United legend Gary Neville has outlined his five-step plan to save the 2019/20 Premier League season, amid uncertainty about what will occur over the next few months.
Football in the Premier League and the EFL has been suspended until April 30th due to the coronavirus pandemic, with a growing expectation that an extension to that date could be on the cards.
Earlier this league, non-league levels below the National League saw the 2019/20 campaign completely voided, with results being wiped from the record and no promotion or relegation.
It has been reported that the National League will follow suit in the near future, although the Premier League and EFL are determined to conclude the season.
A joint statement from the Premier League, EFL and PFA said the organisations will 'work together to arrive at shared solutions' but, at this stage, it's unclear about what lies ahead.
Neville has stepped in with his own ideas though, with the major focus being completing this season when it is safe to do so and, if necessary, reducing the length of next season.
In a post on Twitter, the United great said: "Finish this season in a short timeframe when safe. Condense next season if needed. Open transfer window from May and run it all the way through 20/21 to give clubs agility. Extend player contracts to complete 19/20. Financial packages for clubs in need including non-league."
The difficulty for the Premier League and other organisations is that, at this time, it is entirely unclear how long the current restrictions will last.
The government and NHS has told vulnerable people, including the elderly, to self-isolate for 12 weeks and the emergency services will be extremely stretched during this period.
A further meeting between the governing bodies of football is set for Friday April 3rd, where it is expected that an extension to the current suspension of fixtures will be announced.
