LAST UPDATE | 16 Apr 2020

A HUGE ROW is set to break out at tomorrow’s meeting of the 20 Premier League clubs as to when this year’s season should end.

A slim majority of clubs want the season to finish up on 30 June – in line with the end-date for several players’ contracts, including Irish international, Jeff Hendrick, whose deal with Burnley concludes on that date.

Fifa did pass an emergency law earlier this month that allows clubs to extend the contracts of players whose deals expire at the end of June. However, British employment law does not recognise the Fifa ruling. Therefore, players such as Hendrick and Chelsea’s Willian would be free to switch clubs on 1 July.

And this has left several club executives worried that chaos could ensue if the season is extended into July. These administrators want the season wrapped up by 30 June, even if this means that some fixtures have still to be played.

There are still 92 remaining Premier League games. To complicate matters, the UK government has extended its lockdown until 7 May. Players and managers have indicated they require a mini pre-season before re-starting the season, meaning the clock is ticking to get all the games played by July.

While some clubs want the season concluded by that date, another section want the season extended ‘for as long as it takes’ to finish all the matches. A final decision is expected at tomorrow’s meeting.

First published today at 09.43