West Ham and Arsenal players return to training grounds as Premier League 'Project Restart' gathers pace

West Ham have joined Arsenal in allowing players to return to their training ground, as football took the first decisive steps towards a resumption.

The move comes as the top-flight stepped up preparations to return to action as early as June 8, with plans expected to gather pace at Friday’s meeting of Premier League shareholders.

A West Ham spokesperson told Standard Sport: “Players in apartments or without safe access to green spaces are permitted to individually run around the pitches at Rush Green.

“Access is limited to one player at a time and sessions will be in line with guidelines around social distancing, with everyone’s safety of paramount importance. Players will travel alone, conduct their tailored programmes and then return home. No one will be granted access to the main building.”

Manuel Lanzini is thought to be among the players to have returned for the one-hour sessions, which will be staggered.

West Ham United FC via Getty Ima

The players are expected to bring their own training equipment and shower and change at home, with none of the buildings at Rush Green currently open.

Arsenal’s players were also back at their London Colney training centre today.

The first-team squad arrived in small groups for individual work, although the club insisted that attendance was not compulsory.

Action Images via Reuters

Social distancing measures were maintained, with no more than five players allowed on each of the complex’s 10 pitches at once and sessions lasting no more than an hour. Players arrived and departed in training kit.

A small group of staff were in attendance, although it was unclear if manager Mikel Arteta, who tested positive for the virus last month, was present today.

The club’s decision came after they were forced to remind players of social distancing guidelines after Nicolas Pepe, David Luiz and Granit Xhaka were caught training in public last week.

Brighton have taken similar steps after the Government gave top-flight clubs permission to partially reopen their training grounds, as part of a concerted push for the Premier League and other sporting bodies to accelerate plans to resume competition.

The Premier League have drawn up a blueprint — Project Restart — which could see clubs resume full training by May 18, allowing players a three-week ‘pre-season’ ahead of a possible return to action at June 8.

All 92 remaining matches are likely to be staged at “approved” neutral grounds. St George’s Park — England’s training base — is among the possible venues, although the lack of broadcast facilities could pose a problem.

In Pictures | The Premier League games still be played

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Of the outstanding fixtures, 47 are already set to be aired on Sky Sports and BT Sport under existing deals and the Premier League are in discussions with those broadcasters, along with the BBC and Amazon, about how many of the remaining 45 might be broadcast.

The top-flight’s plans form part of the workings of a cross-sports group — including football, cricket, rugby league, rugby union, tennis and horseracing — currently preparing a report on how sport can safely resume.

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