The Premier League are continuing to postpone fixtures until 30th April, but they’re still hoping to complete the league season.

Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal reacts during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and West Ham United at Emirates Stadium on March 07, 2020 in London, United Kingdom.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MARCH 07: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal reacts during the Premier League match between Arsenal FC and West Ham United at Emirates Stadium on March 07, 2020, in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

According to today’s announcement, the Premier League won’t return until the end of April at the earliest.

Normally, the league has to finish before 1st June, which would only leave a month to complete the campaign. However, they’ve extended this deadline “indefinitely” in the hope of finishing all the fixtures.

The issue is still the 30th June player contract expiry date. If the season goes on beyond this, it becomes a nightmare situation. What if one of your key players leaves when their loan or current contract expires? For example, Ceballos at Arsenal.

That’s not impossible either. If La Liga decide they’re voiding their season, Ceballos might not want to hang around for the extra Arsenal games in July instead of joining his parent club for pre-season.

It only takes one player at one club for the integrity of the season to disappear. Why should that club have to play on without that player, who was under contract for the full season? Why should other clubs get an easier game against that team?

That’s before we get into the effect a huge break like this is going to have on momentum for various clubs. Arsenal had won five in their last six in all competitions whilst Spurs had won one. Now, that form is fizzling out, in a way it wouldn’t have time to do in any normal season.

Plus, if UEFA don’t shift next season’s Europa League and Champions League dates, we have to have the season done before then. It’s no good pledging to complete the season if it takes until September and next season’s European competitions start in July.

It’s a huge mess, and I can’t see a fair way to complete the season right now.