Premier League clubs’ new threat to hold back South American stars

PREMIER LEAGUE sides are prepared to hold their South American stars back from international duty again if the players are forced to miss any domestic matches.

The Mail on Sunday has learnt that clubs will only release players for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers if their countries release them before the final round of ties.

League officials are in talks with the Government about gaining quarantine exemption for players returning from red-list countries, including Brazil and Argentina. One reported proposal requires footballers to quarantine for five days in a ‘club bubble’ rather than the current 10 in designated hotels.

But this would not suit top clubs if players are also asked to play in all their countries’ international ties, as it would mean them missing up to two club matches.

South American sides play three World Cup qualifiers next month with the final set of qualifiers taking place a day before a round of league fixtures and less than a week before European games.

Manchester United and Liverpool sparked a row with Brazil and other South American countries earlier this month after Premier League clubs refused to release players for the last three rounds of qualifiers.

Tottenham’s two Argentinian internationals Giovani Lo Celso and Cristian Romero defied club orders to travel to play for their country, while Aston Villa agreed to release goalkeeper Emi Martinez and record signing Emi Buendia.

Another stand-off could ensue if an agreement is not reached that suits all parties.

Sources at the Argentina national federation have said they are ‘open’ to releasing their players before the third and final set of games, which finish on October 15.

This would avoid the dispute earlier this month when the Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni appeared to renege on an agreement to release players before the third game. His position changed again, enabling the four players to fly back early.