Chelsea have informed their players who had travelled abroad during the coronavirus crisis to be back at the club by Sunday as Premier League clubs work towards a gradual return to training.

Willian was given special dispensation to go back to his native Brazil to be with his wife and children, while it is understood Pedro Rodgrigues, Marcos Alonso and Kepa Arrizabalaga returned to Spain, and Emerson Palmeiri and Christian Pulisic have been overseas.

Chelsea will be understanding if individuals need an extra day or two to put travel plans in place and the club will follow all government protocols in terms of whether or not players will need to be quarantined on their return.

The Premier League have circulated a proposed timetable to clubs for a return to action which would see them back in full training on May 18, with the league programme resuming three weeks after that, on June 8.

Telegraph Sport understands the timetable, which is subject to government approval, works on the basis that the next announcement from Downing Street about lockdown, a week today, eases the measures currently in place.

From then, the proposed plan is to test players for Covid-19 over the following weekend, May 9-10, with a view to training in small groups the following Monday, May 11.

Some clubs, including Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal, have already had players back working individually at their training grounds and the next step would be for them to train in small groups while observing the distancing protocols. They would then step up to full training the next Monday, May 18, which would give clubs three weeks to prepare their players for the return to competitive games.

Recalling players by Sunday means that Willian and others who have spent time abroad would have a two-week window that could cover any required quarantine before the resumption of full training on May 18.

Quarantine would essentially just require players to stay in their homes for two weeks and it is understood remote testing could be carried out during that time.