On Premier League’s resumption and new deal for Baines

Just like other sports leagues across the world, English Premier League also has had a fairly eventful season. Right now everyone is focused on finding some way to conclude the 2019-20 campaign.

The idea of playing on neutral grounds was summarily rejected during the last meeting. However, a decision was taken that the players whose contracts are set to expire during this summer, can have them extended with mutual agreement. But doing that will throw up an entirely new set of issues for the Blues, as the club will be forced to decide on the future of players like Djibril Sidibe, Cuco Martina and Oumar Niasse. The experts everywhere have been pondering which all players’ deals are expiring this summer and who all can possibly get an extension. A lot of talk is also happening around the players most likely to get axed.

Clubs win key battle regarding remaining games of 2019-20 season

As per a recently published Times report, Premier League clubs might be given the permission to use their home grounds for completing the 2019-20 season.

A proposal was submitted under the ‘Project Restart’ which included the possibility of playing the remaining 92 matches at neutral venues. However, as mentioned earlier, everyone opposed that idea, with few clubs citing concerns related to fairness. Now the dissenting clubs have been allowed to host the remaining home games of the season at their home grounds.

A high-level Premier League meeting was held in this regard on May 11, 2020, with Richard Masters, the Chief Executive making it clear that all the clubs were in favour of going ahead with the original season schedule. He reiterated that everybody wanted to play their home games on the home grounds, with some clubs expressing that desire more strongly than others.

As per the Time Report, all teams are aboard on the idea of successfully finishing the 2019-20 season, provided it can be accomplished safely. The football fans on the other hand are looking forward to events like FIFA Ultimate QuaranTeam tournament to battle withdrawal issues.

Leighton Baines should be given special treatment

As per Michael Ball, the former defender at Everton, Leighton Baines has been truly instrumental for Everton’s success over the years. He is a role model which new players look up to. In his opinion, the full-back should be given special treatment with regard to the contract extension, despite the fact that he’s not a part of the first team anymore.

Baines has been sporting enough to serve as Lucas Digne’s deputy, with the latter performing exceptionally well for the club ever since taking over the reins from Baines. Regardless of whether Baines is pleased with his new responsibility or not, it’s the Blues’ duty to give him an opportunity to stay at the club if he wishes to. Whenever he’s been asked to step up and play in place of Digne, whether due to injury concerns or something else, he has done it successfully and with plenty of impact too. It would be a no-brainer for Everton to extend his contract, even if he serves as a motivating factor for the other players.