Arsenal have cancelled plans to resume training on Tuesday, telling players to remain at home because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The players were due back in training this week after completing their 14-day self-isolating period following manager Mikel Arteta testing positive for the virus.
But, as the the United Kingdom faces the prospect of a total lockdown, Arsenal believe it would be “inappropriate and irresponsible to ask players to come back at this time”.
The club provided an update last week, saying Arteta is ” feeling much better and is back planning for the remainder of the season as well as speaking to his players.
The Spaniard’s diagnosis earlier this month led to the postponement of Arsenal’s Premier League match against Brighton, scheduled for March 14, before the rest of England’s top-flight fixtures were suspended, originally until April 4 and then extended to April 30.
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Sky Sports News has been told a return date of June 1 is one of several put forward for consideration, but clubs did not discuss fixture modelling in detail during an emergency call on March 19.
Arsenal said in a statement: “Our men’s first-team players were scheduled to return to training on Tuesday after completing 14 days isolation following Mikel Arteta’s positive diagnosis for the virus.
“As a result of the current situation we are clear it would be inappropriate and irresponsible to ask players to come back at this time. Therefore our men’s first team, women and academy players are all remaining at home.
“Stay at home and save lives.”
