Coronavirus: Players at Arsenal and Chelsea self-isolate after two cases of COVID-19 identified

Top players at Chelsea and Arsenal are self-isolating after two cases of coronavirus were confirmed at the clubs.

Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta and Chelsea player Callum Hudson-Odoi have contracted COVID-19, the teams confirmed.

In a statement, Chelsea FC said its entire men’s squad would be self-isolating, along with coaching staff and backroom staff who came into contact with Hudson-Odoi.

The men’s team building will be closed, but the rest of the training facility, Stamford Bridge and other Chelsea facilities will operate as normal.

The club said Hudson-Odoi had experienced symptoms “similar to a mild cold” on Monday morning and had not been at the training ground since as a precaution.

Earlier on Thursday night, Arsenal announced its full first-team squad and anyone else who has been in recent close contact with Arteta had also been told to self-isolate.

Arsenal’s clash against Brighton on Saturday has been postponed following the announcement.

In a statement, Brighton’s chief executive Paul Barber said: “First and foremost our thoughts are with Mikel Arteta and we wish him a speedy recovery.

“It’s absolutely essential the health and wellbeing of individuals takes priority and with that in mind Saturday’s match has been postponed.

“We apologise to all fans for any inconvenience but trust everyone will understand that we are all facing an unprecedented situation.”

Announcing Arteta’s diagnosis, Arsenal said: “Our London Colney training centre has been closed after head coach Mikel Arteta received a positive COVID-19 result.

“Arsenal personnel who had recent close contact with Mikel will now self-isolate in line with government health guidelines.

“We expect this to be a significant number of people from Colney, including the full first-team squad and coaching staff.”

The statement added: “It is clear we will not be able to play some fixtures on their currently scheduled dates.

“We will update supporters who have tickets for forthcoming games with more information as soon as possible.”

The Premier League is now set to convene an emergency club meeting on Friday morning regarding future fixtures.

Arsenal said it is working to trace others who have had recent close contact with Arteta.

The club’s Colney and Hale End training centres will be deep cleaned, but other club sites will operate as normal.

Following the announcement, Arteta said: “This is really disappointing but I took the test after feeling poorly. I will be at work as soon as I’m allowed.”

Arsenal’s managing director, Vinai Venkatesham, said the health of its staff and the wider public was the club’s “top priority”.

He added: “Our thoughts are with Mikel who is disappointed but in good spirits.”

Arsenal’s game at Manchester City was cancelled on Wednesday after team members came into contact with rival team owner Evangelos Marinakis, who announced on Tuesday he had contracted COVID-19.

The latest coronavirus developments:

• A tenth person in the UK has died after contracting COVID-19, with 590 cases confirmed
• Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said “many more families are going to lose loved ones before their time” as he declared the government is entering the “delay” phase of its response to the virus
• The FTSE 100 has dropped more than 10% in its worst day since the 1987 crash
• France’s President Macron says the country is facing its worst health crisis for a century
• The director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine told Sky News the spread of coronavirus is “much, much worse” than seen with Ebola
• This weekend’s Australian Grand Prix has been cancelled, according to the FIA, Formula One and the Australian Grand Prix Corporation
• The Players Championship golf tournament in Florida has been cancelled, the PGA tour has said

The diagnoses come as three players at Premier League club Leicester City showed symptoms of coronavirus and were isolated.

The team’s manager, Brendan Rodgers, said: “We’ve had a few players that have shown symptoms and signs [of coronavirus]. We’ve followed procedures and [as a precaution] they have been kept away from the squad.”

European football’s governing body, UEFA, is set to discuss next week whether any of its three tournaments will go ahead.

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The futures of this season’s Champions League, Europa League and this summer’s European Championships are yet to be decided.

England’s friendly match against Denmark at Wembley on 31 March is expected to be cancelled, according to the Danish football federation.

The England side’s clash with Italy four days earlier is also likely to be called off.

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Players at Arsenal and Chelsea self-isolate after two cases of COVID-19 identified