Chelsea have been handed a surprise boost with the news that Timo Werner may be available to play for them this season.
The Blues are closing in on signing the RB Leipzig striker after beating Liverpool to agreeing personal terms with him.
Having already played for RB Leipzig this season in the Champions League, it was expected that Chelsea would not be able to use the 24-year-old until next season.
Yet coronavirus postponement means the summer transfer window could well open before the Champions League's resumption in August, when the competition is set to be completed in a World Cup-style end-of-season tournament.
Whilst UEFA removed cup tie rules for European competition in 2018 after Philippe Coutinho was forced to sit out Barcelona's Champions League campaign following a January move from Liverpool, it was expected that clubs would have to make do with the same European squads they have had since January.
Yet the Daily Express report that UEFA will meet tomorrow to discuss player registrations for European competitions.
UEFA's main reason for discussing the issue is due to the fact that, with contracts set to expire in June and July, some players may well opt against signing short-term extensions to play in the Champions League or Europa League should they have moves elsewhere lined up.
That will leave clubs short come August, meaning UEFA may well relax registration rules in order to allow clubs to play new signings.
That could well see Werner complete a move to Stamford Bridge before the competition resumes - with reports overnight claiming that he would prefer to play for Chelsea instead of Leipzig in the remaining fixtures.
Werner's reported stance is somewhat surprising when looked at in the context of the progress of the tournament.
The Blues are due to face an uphill battle when they play Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League round of 16 match, having lost the first leg 3-0.
A quickfire Serge Gnabry double followed by Robert Lewandowski's strike saw Chelsea lose comfortably to the German champions at Stamford Bridge back in February.
Yet Leipzig are through to the quarter-finals of the competition, having dispatched Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 on aggregate in the round of 16.
Werner netted the winner in a 1-0 first leg victory over Chelsea's Premier League rivals.
