Morecambe FC

The outbreak of coronavirus has seen the season paused and it now looks likely to run deep into the summer – past when a number of players will see their contracts expire.

So where do these individuals and their clubs stand? We take a look:

What is the problem?

Premier League and EFL clubs are heading into unchartered territory.

With the season currently suspended until April 3 – and that period highly likely to increase – there is the very real possibility of the 2019/20 campaign spilling into late June and early July.

That naturally creates a difficult scenario for clubs whose players see their contracts expire on June 30. If fixtures continue after this date, any players out of contract would be under no obligation to play and wouldn’t be recognised as employees of the football club.

This issue is perhaps greater further down the footballing pyramid, where players generally sign shorter-term deals, but there will be very few, if any, clubs in England who won’t be affected by this issue.

What are the options for clubs?

While this is a tricky situation for clubs to navigate, there are plenty of options available to them.

The simplest scenario is one in which the club is keen to keep a player for the long-term.

In that example, they simply need to agree to a fresh contract with the individual – which will run beyond June 30 and enable them to play in any fixtures which spill past this date.

Clubs will also be able to exercise options on contracts to automatically extend them, should any such clause have been inserted into the initial deal.

But what about those who may not have a long-term future at the club, but will be required to complete the 2019/20 season?

Perhaps the option most commonly suggested is signing players on week-by-week contracts.

While this currently is not allowed under FIFA regulations, there have been several reports that the world governing body will sanction their use as a temporary solution.

This would enable clubs to sign players for as long as they are needed to complete the current campaign, before reassessing their long-term plans at a later date.

What are the potential difficulties?

There are, however, several potential pitfalls to offering players week-by-week deals.

FIrstly, players and their agents will know that the clubs are in a bind. They cannot register any further signings and so are reliant on keeping the players they currently have on their books.

There is a fear among some in the game that this will lead to agents demanding a vastly higher weekly wage for their clients.

It’s important to note on the flip side, though, that should players reject terms at their current club then they would be unable to join another until the 2020/21 campaign – and would naturally miss out on income in the interim period.

There is perhaps a greater danger for players too when you consider the impact that the potential loss of revenue may have on clubs.

With no home fixtures for several weeks and supporters holding off on purchasing merchandise and season tickets amid the uncertainty, clubs may not be in a financial position to hand out new deals.

After all, their playing budgets were set long before the outbreak of COVID-19 and may not be particularly flexible, especially given the financial fair play rules operating across the Premier League and EFL.

This could mean they are forced to cut their cloth, with players the natural commodity who could be sacrificed.

This may not just be in the short-term either. If clubs are deprived of some much-needed income in the coming months, then they may release more players than planned in a bid to save some money – which in turn could lead to a saturated free agent market.

What’s the legal view?

Speaking to FC Business, legal firm Brabners provided the following advice for clubs as they approach this unique situation.

They wrote: “The majority of player contracts will have a natural expiry date of 30 June.

“Therefore, if matches are cancelled and/or rearranged taking the season past June 30, then clubs face a real dilemma of having players out of contract during the season.

“If they aren’t already doing so, clubs should be considering the contracts of any key players and identifying any of those which expire on 30 June 2020.”

Can clubs sign more players such as free agents?

Clubs may look towards free agents in a bid to bolster their ranks, particularly if they have fresh injury worries emerge during the suspension of the league.

Any free agents must be registered by March 27, which is currently set as the registration deadline for players.

This could yet be changed, but would require the agreement of a number of bodies – who may struggle to force through such a change as they bid to manage the current situation.

Could clubs turn to youth players?

Yes, as long as the players are registered and under contract, then clubs could turn towards their U23 and U18 squads to bolster their ranks if senior players depart after June 30.

This may well be a popular option for clubs with little left to play for, or who are unable to sanction week-by-week deals for financial reasons.