Arsenal players are returning to the club training ground for workouts from Monday, but they’re not starting up group sessions just yet.

Arsenal are partially reopening their training ground on Monday, in the first step towards football’s return. The plan is still to maintain social distancing, travelling alone for individual workouts. However, the pitches are open for individual use once again.

The club statement explained: “Players will be permitted access to our London Colney training grounds next week. Access will be limited, carefully managed and social distancing will be maintained at all times. All Colney buildings remain closed.

“Players will travel alone, do their individual workout and return home.”

Players will operate on a rota, with only small groups on-site at a time. They won’t work with the coaching staff, and they’ll spread out across the club’s 10 training pitches to avoid overcrowding.

The suggestion is that is mostly to ensure the players aren’t hanging around in public parks, etc. If they have somewhere private to train, they won’t end up causing problems.

All the same, it ties in with the recent stories that Arsenal are preparing for matches behind closed doors. Despite the lack of an official update, the suggestion is that Premier League football is edging closer.

Arsenal will want to be as ready as every other club when that happens. The sooner they return to London Colney, the sooner they can identify and resolve any problems that presents, ensuring things will run smoothly when we have dates for fixtures.