Coronavirus: Kevin De Bruyne warns of injury crisis if Premier League is rushed back

‘If we restart immediately then everybody will be injured after a few games’

Kevin De Bruyne believes that he and other players will be put at risk of injury if the 2019-20 season is restarted too quickly.

Premier League stakeholders will meet on Friday to once again discuss how to complete the current campaign, with top-flight football currently suspended until 30 April.

That deadline is almost certain not to be met and will most likely be extended on Friday, despite a desire to return as soon as it is safe to do so.

The Independent revealed earlier this week that one solution being considered is to play while housing players in World Cup-style quarantined camps during the summer.

But De Bruyne believes that rushing back without a proper pre-season and cramming games into a short space of time would put player in danger of injury.

“I have no idea when we will be playing again,” the Manchester City playmaker told HLN. “You haven’t played for six weeks.

“Normally you’d need a preparation of three to four weeks. If we restart immediately then everybody will be injured after a few games.”

De Bruyne is open to possibility of stopping the season, after which a decision would have to be taken on issues such as the title, relegation and European qualification.

Any scenario where the season was not played out in full would be likely to result in financial penalties from broadcasters, but De Bruyne believes money may need to be put to one side.

“I know that there’s lots of money involved. But I think that waiting so long to make a decision can cause issues next season. There won’t be a long summer break and you can just postpone everything.

“I would feel sad if the season is stopped after such a good year, but if it avoids issues for next season, it must be done.”