The Athletic are reporting that Newcastle have reached out to the Premier League for advice as Miguel Almiron could be ruled out for THREE crucial games due to coronavirus restrictions.
The 27-year-old is set to play for Paraguay next month, a country that is currently on the UK government’s red list, meaning only British nationals can enter and must isolate for 10 days – with no exemptions for elite athletes.
If we manage to get past Burnley in the cup on Wednesday night, Almiron could miss the following round, as well as crunch games against Man Utd on September 11 and Leeds on September 19.
This is an ongoing issue a host of Premier League clubs, but Bruce could be without one of his key attacking players should the rules be enforced – a frustrating situation for a manager still searching for his first point of the season.
Here is what he said on the situation, which is set to affect up to 60 Premier League players:
“The (Premier League) clubs themselves are speaking about it. It affects us.
“I think it would be highly unlikely to send you players to a red country. It is a difficult situation for everyone concerned.
“We are taking advice from the Premier League. You cannot let him (Almiron) go and expect him to stay in a hotel for ten days because he will then miss three games for us on his return.
“So it is a concern. Let’s hope like all of these things that common sense prevails. We are aware of it and we are already in talks with the Premier League and to other Premier League bosses in exactly how we go about it.
“Liverpool have an issue with three or four, but if affects something like 60 players. So let’s hope common sense prevails.”
