Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City are joining forces with other PL clubs to hire a private jet to fly their South American stars back to England ahead of weekend’s Premier League games.
Below are nine players which will be crossing the Atlantic and head back to the England immediately after Brazil’s World Cup qualifier with Uruguay, which kicks off at 1.30am on Friday, UK time.
Manchester United duo Edinson Cavani and Fred, City’s duo Ederson and Gabriel Jesus, Liverpool duo Alisson and Fabinho, Chelsea’s Thiago Silva, Leeds star Raphinha, and Aston Villa midfielder Douglas Luiz are those heading straight back to UK on Friday.
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Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay have now been removed from the red list countries which means it’s now down to seven nations. Tottenham Hotspurs intend to fly their quartet – Argentina’s Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero, Colombia’s Davinson Sanchez and Brazilian Emerson Royal – via a private jet.
Following an exemption agreed before the international break, players who visited red list countries were due to spend 10 days in bespoke quarantine once they arrived back in England providing they are fully vaccinated.
As part of the agreement they will be allowed out only to train and play. But those who have benefitted from the red-list alterations will now have no such restrictions on their movement and be free to stay at home.
Colombia remain on the list meaning Spurs’s Sanchez, Everton’s Yerry Mina and Ecuadorian youngster Jeremy Sarmiento will still be required to quarantine.
Having played their first qualifier in Colombia, Brazil’s nine Premier League players returning this weekend will also have to quarantine despite their country also coming off the list.
Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez, Spurs’s Lo Celso and Romero, United’s Cavani, Fred and Newcastle’s Miguel Almiron will not have to undergo the 10 days in isolation.
Liverpool have the tightest turnaround, with only 35 hours between Brazil’s qualifier and their Saturday lunchtime game at Watford Whiles City, United, Leeds and Aston Villa are all 3pm kick-offs later that day.
Chelsea meanwhile have 40 hours from Brazil’s clash until they host Brentford in a west London derby on Saturday evening.
