Sergio Aguero claims the majority of players are scared to return to the football pitches, given the present threat of coronavirus.

Speaking to El Chiringuito TV from lockdown, Sergio Aguero claimed most players are still scared about COVID-19 despite growing plans for the Premier League to return.

“The majority of players are scared because they have family, they have children, they have babies,” he said (via AS).

“When we go back, I imagine that we will be very tense, we will be very careful and the moment someone feels ill, you will think, ‘what’s gone on there?’ It does scare me.”

Arguably, Manchester City are one of the clubs with the least motivation to restart the league season. The title is gone, realistically, while they sit safely in a Champions League spot. A spot that may not matter anyway if their European ban stands.

It’s not surprising to hear their players putting a greater emphasis on patience as a result. Obviously, at Arsenal, there’s probably a greater desire to return, qualify for Europe and earn back cut wages.

David Ornstein recently wrote that every player he’s heard from is willing to play and raring to return to the pitches. Though he did also link to an article from The Athletic highlighting several players with legitimate concerns about a comeback.

If I had to guess, we could probably extrapolate those views across the division. The majority impatiently waiting to play more football, whilst a not-insignificant portion have specific personal issues holding them back.

It’s not an easy call to make. If even one player harbours completely legitimate concerns about returning, is it fair to force them back because everyone else is on board? Conversely, can the Premier League afford to cancel the season for that minority?

We’re running out of time to make that call, with current plans to return to training in mid-May.