Manchester United defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka has opened up on how he is coping during the coronavirus lockdown.
Wan-Bissaka, who joined United from Crystal Palace for £50million last summer, also paid tribute to the NHS staff working around the clock to help bring the pandemic under control.
“It’s not a common situation that we’re in and I hope it doesn’t last for too long,” said Wan-Bissaka.
“I’m up in Manchester, just me, my brother and my sister and it’s been important for me to find a routine.
“After being quite bored at times last week, I’ve developed a routine and I’m sticking to it, so right now I’d say things are going alright.
“Each day I’ll start off with the gym downstairs, where I do a bike session.
“I’ll chill throughout the day, have a kickabout with my brother in the garden and in the evening I’ll do a gym session that the club’s coaching staff have set for me.
“In the evenings, after the gym session, it’s literally just Netflix or Playstation.
“One weird thing – and this isn’t like me at all – is that I’ve started reading a bit during the lockdown.
“To be honest, it started through boredom but it’s going alright – I’m reading Ian Wright’s autobiography at the moment. I bought it last year but I’ve got around to it now and I’m enjoying it.”
United have issued their players with individual training programmes to follow during football's enforced break, which will last until at least April 30.
“The club have been great in terms of keeping in contact with the players and ensuring everything is as normal as it can be in the circumstances,” said Wan-Bissaka.
“Our chef is dropping off food for us, so the food is left at a safe distance, we collect it and we fix it ourselves.
“Fitness-wise, I’ve enjoyed the programmes the club have given us. It’s given me things to do.
“Usually I might do a couple of sessions on my own twice a week, but it’s quite strange doing it on my own every single day.
“At the end of it you feel fitter and I’m glad that I’m going through it.
“Every day the coaching staff are in touch to see how I’m going, see how I’m finding it, see that I feel fit enough.
“It’s not easy for them to look after the whole squad, but they’re doing a great job of it and I know the players appreciate that.
“All the lads are staying in touch too. In the group chat everyone is posting what they’re getting up to, so that’s been good to keep up with the latest from everyone.
“We’re all going through the situation together, even though we’re apart, and we’re learning how to turn the negative situation into a positive. We’re not just staying in and doing nothing at all.”
Wan-Bissaka also paid tribute to the NHS staff and said: “While a lot of people have free time at the moment, one group who don’t is obviously the NHS, and it was great to see the reaction they got around the country last week.
“Everyone in our house was outside clapping for the NHS, as was everyone up and down our road, and it’s nice to see because these people are heroes and you have to show some appreciation for what they’re doing.”
