Premier League

Mata used a United club video call to share an update on his own routine while players are training alone, and gave a positive report on his fitness.

"Being patient and calm is the only thing we can do now," said Mata.

"We have to wait and trust the experts until we can play football again.

"We are coping okay. We are obviously in the house trying to get fit and training however we can by doing some exercises in the house and the garden."

United goalkeeper Lee Grant joined Mata on the video call and said he too has been following club orders in his home training regime.

“We have got our own special programme and, really, it just centres around doing as much as we can within the confines and the safety of our own houses," said the former Stoke City and Derby County goalkeeper.

“Of course, we are utilising what equipment we have and, as Juan says, the garden has come into play as well.

“We are really just doing what we can and trying to follow, as closely as we can, the programmes that the club have given us.”

All sporting activity in Italy has been suspended until April 3, while Ligue 1 and LaLiga have moved to keep spectators away from games over the coming weeks.

The forthcoming Champions League matches where Barcelona host Napoli and Chelsea travel to Bayern Munich will also take place without fans in the ground.

No such action has reached English football as yet, although Guardiola feels it is inevitable given mounting fears in Europe over the virus that has now claimed in excess of 4,000 lives worldwide.

Nevertheless, as City prepare for three matches at the Etihad Stadium in the space of seven days – starting with Wednesday's rearranged Premier League clash against Arsenal – Guardiola stated he would sooner have games suspended if the alternative is empty stands for the foreseeable future.

"We are conscious of it because it happened already in Italy," he told a pre-match news conference.

"The league is suspended, in Spain they start the next two weeks behind closed doors and I think it is going to happen here because the tendency [instances of coronavirus] rises in the same level as in Italy before and Spain right now.

"The other thing we have to ask is whether it works to play football without the spectators. They are the reason why we do our job, for the people. If the people cannot come to the games there is no sense.

"I would not love to play football games in the Champions League, in the Premier League or in the cups or whatever without the people.

"We are going to follow the instructions from the governments. Everyone around the world is involved in that and just follow what they have to do and follow the instructions."

Guardiola went on to underline his belief that football derives meaning from being played in front of the paying public.

"I would prefer not to play than without people, definitely," he said. "We are here for the people. Of course, if it is for one game or two games I can understand it. But longer…

"The reason why you are a journalist is to write for the people. I play, we play for the people. If the people cannot be there, what sense? No sense."

He added: "If UEFA and the governments say you have to play without spectators we are going to play without spectators.

"But I am going to say I would love to play with spectators, with our fans. For one game it can happen, for a long time there is no sense.

"But the health is the most important thing right now, not the competitions. It is how to take care of this situation, which is getting worse country by country, day by day."

Co-chairmen David Sullivan and David Gold and their fellow shareholders are also investing £30million into the club, it emerged on Friday.

The Premier League outfit announced the short-term cost-reducing measures to allow them to cope with paying non-playing staff in the absence of first-team matches.

West Ham last played in a 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on March 7, with the season since suspended indefinitely.

The Hammers sit 16th, out of the relegation zone only on goal difference.

Manager David Moyes and vice-chairman Karren Brady are among senior figures who have taken a 30 per cent pay reduction, the club said in a statement.

"The savings created by the measures... will support the entire infrastructure of the club and enable us to retain jobs and continue to pay 100 per cent of staff salaries," the statement read.

Brady said: "I would like to say a big thank you to David Moyes and his backroom team, our captain Mark Noble and our fantastic squad of players for the commitment and determination they have shown to offer their help and support."

Captain Mark Noble said: "At West Ham United, we are one team and our priority reflects the club's aim to help ensure the staff get 100 per cent of their salaries while we are unable to play our matches.

"We continue to do all we can, collectively and individually, throughout this period for the benefit of those around us, our colleagues, our supporters and our community."

Other Premier League clubs - including Tottenham and Newcastle United - have been criticised for furloughing non-playing staff while their first-team stars continue to earn huge wages.

Liverpool also announced an intention to use the UK government's furlough scheme - paying 80 per cent of wages up to £2,500 a month - before backtracking on that decision.

Premier League stars, reportedly led by Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson, launched their #PlayersTogether charity fund this week, working with NHS Charities Together.

The Premier League clubs and A-League outfit Brisbane Roar were due to play in Queensland in July ahead of the 2020-21 season.

However, those fixtures were unsurprisingly postponed on Wednesday due to COVID-19, which has killed more than 177,000 people worldwide.

"It is a real shame that we will no longer be able to make it over to Queensland this summer, however, it is the right decision to postpone given the circumstances," West Ham manager David Moyes said in a statement.

"The players and I were really looking forward to seeing our fans and the people of Australia, especially as there was great excitement and support for the tournament.

"This is a situation that has affected the entire world, though, and the only thing that matters at this time is that people stay safe and well.

"We hope the tournament can be rearranged at a later date once things are back to normal, and we look forward to visiting Australia in the future."

Australia has seen more than 6,600 coronavirus cases, including 74 deaths.

Though the tide appears to be turning in the fight against the spread of the virus, two leagues have decided the 2019-20 season cannot be resumed.

Others are steadfast in their determination to finish the campaign and crown champions through games that will likely take place behind closed doors.

Here we look at the state of play across the top leagues.

Premier League – SUSPENDED 

All professional football in England was suspended on March 13, putting Liverpool's march to a first top-flight title since 1990 on hold.

Liverpool were a massive 25 points clear of defending champions Manchester City when the season was suspended. The Premier League clubs remain committed to finishing the season "when it is safe and appropriate to do so". 

The league's 20 clubs were reportedly told in a videoconference on Friday that neutral venues would be needed to finish the season.

LaLiga – SUSPENDED

LaLiga saw its season suspended indefinitely on March 23 but preparations for a return appear to be ramping up.

Spain's prime minister Pedro Sanchez said on Tuesday that players could return to individual training on May 4.

There remains, however, no indication as to when the season can resume, with Barcelona two points clear of arch-rivals Real Madrid, while Sevilla coach Julen Lopetegui said players will need "at least five weeks" to prepare.

Bundesliga – SUSPENDED

On hold since March 13, the German Football League (DFL) had been taking steps towards a May 9 return but left the final decision in the hands of the government, which then elected to delay making a ruling until May 6.

Hopes of a resumption next week now appear faint, meaning fans face a longer wait to find out if Bayern Munich, who lead the Bundesliga by four points, can retain the title.

Serie A – SUSPENDED

Friday's emergency meeting of Lega Serie A reportedly saw all 20 teams agree to resume the campaign, suspended since March 9.

All teams in Italy are set to return to training on May 18, the day after the government's existing lockdown measures expire.

Juventus were one point clear of Lazio at the top when the season was brought to a halt.

Ligue 1 – CANCELLED

The decision was effectively taken out of the hands of the French football authorities this week when the government ruled that no sporting events could take place before September.

The Ligue de Football Professionnel (LFP) met on Thursday and declared Paris Saint-Germain, who were 12 points clear at the top of Ligue 1, champions on a points-per-game basis. Marseille and Rennes join them in next season's Champions League.

Toulouse and Amiens were relegated and replaced by the top two from Ligue 2, Lorient and Lens, with Nimes spared as the relegation play-offs were scrapped.

Eredivisie – CANCELLED

Following an announcement from the Dutch government last month that all events would be banned until September, the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) declared its intention to end the season in the Netherlands.

Ajax and AZ were level on points at the top of Eredivisie when it was suspended, but the decision was made not to declare a champion or relegate any teams. The top two go into the Champions League.

The Sheffield United boss feels people have been too quick to target players, with widespread calls for them to take a pay cut.

On Friday the Premier League proposed a 30 per cent wage reduction to its member clubs and Wilder backed players across all levels of the sport to "do the right thing".

"They're conscious people. These boys are from working-class cities, very few of our players are privately educated," he told talkSPORT.

"They've got brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, mums and dads working at the NHS and not getting paid.

"They'll do the right thing through the PFA [Professional Footballers' Association]. Straight away everyone was onto footballers, pointing the finger, and I thought it was very poor and distasteful.

"There is a lot of money floating about, especially at the top, but this football country is not all about the Premier League, it goes right down to the National League and even below.

"Proper football people do the right thing."

The Premier League is suspended until April 3, but it remains uncertain just when the competition will get underway or whether it will be completed.

Willian is out of contract at the end of June, making his future unclear if the season continues beyond that.

But the Brazil international, who had no news on a possible new deal, said he was prepared to play beyond that if required.

"My contract really ends, I think in July," he told Esporte Interativo during a live Facebook chat on Wednesday.

"And if I had to play on those dates, in these months, I think it would be no problem for me to end the league in a way which would be loyal to the club, as they always were with me. Regardless of a signed paper.

"But it's clear that this is not a certainty, we don't know what can happen.

"But without a doubt, as always, I will always be ready to give the best to my club regardless of my contract situation."

Willian has scored seven goals in 37 appearances in all competitions for Chelsea this season.

The opening leg will take place behind closed doors in line with Greek government policy aimed at containing the spread of coronavirus.

Earlier on Tuesday, Olympiacos owner Evangelos Marinakis announced he had tested positive for COVID-19 in Greece, placing the fixture in doubt.

Wolves issued a statement to express disappointment over the decision to proceed with the match.

The statement read: "Our position is that the trip poses unnecessary risks to our players, staff, supporters and the families of all who travel, at such critical and uncertain times.

"Our concern is also for our opponents, whose players and staff have today been tested, and will now be expected to play their part in an important fixture, under the difficult and challenging circumstances of their owner suffering with the virus.

"There is also disappointment that the match will be played without home and away supporters, as that is part of what makes European competition so special, as well as the fact our fans have already contended with similar obstacles on our Europa League journey already this season.

"We believe that there are some things that are more important than football, and that the good health of our pack and the general public is one of them. However, we respect the decision of UEFA and the integrity of the competition, and we will travel tomorrow to Greece to play the fixture.

"We hope that our request to UEFA, and our acceptance of their decision, can act as the catalyst for them to consider alternative options moving forwards, as this will not be the last fixture to be affected by coronavirus."

Earlier this month, Wolves sought to take a pro-active measure against coronavirus by banning players from taking selfies with fans.

Zaha and Obi Williams co-own ZO Properties, which has around 50 apartments in London.

Former Manchester United star Zaha has urged NHS staff needing a roof over their heads while not working long hours due to the spread of COVID-19 to get in touch.

His business partner Williams told the Standard : "I've seen things on the news, I have friends who have family members who work in the NHS and my son was born in an NHS hospital and they were just amazing.

"If there is anything we can do to help obviously we would do it. Now it is time to stand up for everybody, anyone who can help it is time to stand up.

"Anyone who has empty rooms at all in London, they need to do something. They can't just leave their rooms empty whilst people are in huge predicaments as the whole country is right now.

"If you have any kind of accommodation available and empty for whatever reason, everyone should put their rooms up for key workers at this moment."

Ex-Manchester United duo Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs this week offered free hotel beds to health workers.

NBA icon Jordan won six championships across two stints with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s and was crowned MVP on five occasions.

By comparison, five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo has clinched seven league titles in three different countries, most recently helping Juventus to back-to-back Scudettos.

And Lingard, who was part of United's academy during Ronaldo's time at Old Trafford, believes the Portugal international is football's answer to Jordan.

"I have to say Cristiano Ronaldo," he told Sky Sports when asked to pick a footballer who can be likened to Jordan.

"Everything he has achieved in his career. He has been at plenty of clubs and won many trophies. I believe he is a real icon of football, the Michael Jordan of football."

Lingard never played in the same side as Ronaldo in a competitive game but was on opposing sides to the forward in United's 2-1 Champions League win against Juve last season.

But the England international insists the former Real Madrid superstar has not posed him too many problems in the years since he left United.

"I have played against him a few times. Did he give me trouble? No, he wasn't too bad, to be fair," he said. 

"There was one game in pre-season where he came on and you could see the skills and the qualities that he brought.

"When he first came to Manchester United, I was 11 or 12. We did a skills DVD and it was him teaching us skills which was good. 

"That was the first time I had seen him. He was young and skinny when he came to the club."

Cuisance has been linked with Leeds United, having started only three games in the Bundesliga since joining from Borussia Monchengladbach last year.

Martinez, 32, has been tipped to move back to Athletic Bilbao following eight hugely successful years in Germany.

However, head coach Flick appears happy to keep both players in his plans in order to give Bayern the best chance possible of competing on all fronts again this season.

They have brought in Alexander Nubel, teenager Tanguy Nianzou and Germany star Leroy Sane in the transfer window, but the latter will be out until after the next international break with a knee injury.

With David Alaba also struggling and the fixture list piling up – Bayern face Borussia Dortmund in the DFL-Supercup on Wednesday and Hertha Berlin in the league on Sunday – Flick wants as many options as possible.

"We last saw each other yesterday. We have no new information since Thursday. As long as he's in my team, I'll plan with him as well. Javi has done a lot for the club," he told reporters of Martinez on Tuesday.

"Both [Cuisance and Martinez] trained today, so I assume both will be in the squad tomorrow. We all know that, shortly before the transfer window closes, the situation is not easy.

"Hasan [Salihamidzic, sporting director] and I agree: the new season will not only be difficult for Bayern. We have until October 5. For now, the fact is that Mika and Javi are still in the squad. They are part of our team.

"One thing is also clear: we want to win trophies and games. The fact we lost to Hoffenheim is very far from my thoughts. But if we want to achieve objectives, we have to have a squad available.

"On October 15, we play in the DFB-Pokal; on October 17, we play in the Bundesliga. Before that, there are international matches. I didn't create those dates – you have to think about whether that makes sense."

Former Liverpool striker was originally hit with an effective playing ban of two weeks and fined £75,000 last July after a Regulatory Commission deemed he had provided inside information to his brother Leon over a possible transfer to LaLiga side Sevilla, which failed to come to fruition.

The FA launched a challenge against that ruling as the body felt it was too lenient a punishment. 

An independent Appeal Board has upheld the appeal, after finding the commission misapplied FA rules and proved two further charges against Sturridge that had originally been dismissed.

Consequently, Sturridge – who was released by Turkish side Trabzonspor on Monday – has been banned from all football-related activity until June 17 and had his fine doubled to £150,000.

"Daniel Sturridge has been suspended from all football and football-related activity from today until the end of 17 June 2020," an FA statement read.

"Following an appeal by The FA of the previous findings of the independent Regulatory Commission in this case, an independent Appeal Board has found that the Regulatory Commission misapplied The FA's Rules in relation to the use of inside information and made findings of fact which could not be sustained. 

"As a result, the Appeal Board has found proven two further charges which were originally dismissed. Other factual findings of the Regulatory Commission were left undisturbed.

"In relation to the sanction, the Appeal Board agreed with The FA that the penalty originally imposed on Mr Sturridge was unduly lenient and therefore increased his effective playing ban from two weeks to four months. The Appeal Board also doubled the fine to £150,000.

"FIFA has confirmed that the suspension will be of worldwide effect."

Earlier on Monday, it was confirmed Sturridge was leaving his three-year deal with Trabzonspor less than seven months after moving to Turkey following his release from Liverpool, where he spent six years.

Sturridge has eight goals in 26 England appearances.

Originally a superstar at Manchester United, he later became a 'Galactico', an MLS trailblazer and one of England's most-capped players.

Here, on his 45th birthday, we look at the highs and lows of his career.

HIGH - A STAR IS BORN AT SELHURST PARK

The goal that changed everything. Back in August 1996, Beckham was a promising young midfielder who had just become a regular for United, his boyhood club.

Then he spotted Wimbledon goalkeeper Neil Sullivan off his line and dispatched an arching effort over his head and into the net from his own half, raising his arms aloft in celebration as if to acknowledge he had truly arrived.

"When my foot struck that ball, it kicked open the door to the rest of my life," he wrote in his autobiography.

LOW - THAT SIMEONE KICK

An England debut followed soon after that goal and Beckham was a regular for his country during the qualifiers for World Cup 1998.

Yet at the tournament itself, one petulant kick out at Argentina's Diego Simeone resulted in a red card and meant Beckham swiftly went from hero to villain.

Glenn Hoddle's team lost on penalties in the last 16 but Public Enemy No. 1 had already been identified, with an effigy of Beckham even hung outside a pub.

HIGH - A TREBLE WINNER

Beckham followed up his World Cup disappointment by turning in the best season of his United career in 1998-99, when Alex Ferguson's side famously won the treble.

The midfielder had 11 assists in the Premier League and one of his six goals came in the come-from-behind win against Tottenham that sealed the title.

Later that month he would slot in at central midfield in the Champions League final, with United dramatically beating Bayern Munich thanks to two late goals which came from Beckham corners.

HIGH - SEALING QUALIFICATION AGAINST GREECE

Cometh the man, cometh the hour.

In October 2001 England were on the verge of missing out on automatic World Cup qualification when trailing Greece 2-1 at Old Trafford, only to win a last-gasp free-kick 30 yards from goal.

Beckham, by then Sven-Goran Eriksson's captain, stepped up and dispatched one of his finest, and most important, free-kicks into the net. Next stop: Japan and South Korea.

HIGH - REDEMPTION IN SAPPARO

Four years after Argentina had eliminated from the World Cup, England faced one of their arch-rivals again in the group phase.

And when Michael Owen took a tumble as Mauricio Pochettino dangled a leg in the box, Beckham stepped up with a chance to right the wrongs of Saint-Etienne.

He thumped the resulting spot-kick straight down the middle and celebrated with an outpouring of relief as England won 1-0.

LOW - PAYING THE PENALTY

'Golden Balls' was not always deadly from set-piece situations and it was a missed spot-kick that contributed to England's quarter-final exit against Portugal at Euro 2004.

Beckham began the tournament by missing from 12 yards when England led 1-0 against France - Fabien Barthez saving that effort - and two goals from Real Madrid team-mate Zinedine Zidane, including one from the penalty spot, meant the Three Lions were beaten.

Later in the tournament Beckham missed his third straight penalty for his country and blamed the turf for an effort that ballooned over the crossbar, with Portugal going on to win 6-5 in the shoot-out.

HIGH - A LALIGA TITLE FROM THE GALACTICO ERA

Beckham had left United for Real Madrid in 2003, the latest 'Galactico' to join Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo and Raul in the Spanish capital.

However, as he approached the end of his fourth and final season with the club, he had just a Supercopa de Espana medal to show for his efforts.

Beckham had already agreed to join MLS side La Galaxy in June 2007 when he won his first LaLiga winners' medal, though it was his replacement in the final match against Mallorca, Jose Antonio Reyes, who ultimately scored the goals which sealed the title.

HIGH - BACK-TO-BACK MLS CUPS

The rise of MLS in recent years owes much to Beckham's impact, the England midfielder having brought interest and respectability to the competition when he went Stateside.

It had looked like being an ill-fated spell in 2009 when Beckham was booed by Galaxy fans on his return from a loan spell at Milan which saw him miss the first half of his second MLS season.

A similar arrangement followed the next season, but Beckham would be around for the entire 2011 and 2012 campaigns, both of which ended with Galaxy winning back-to-back MLS Cups.

HIGH - BOWING OUT WITH ANOTHER LEAGUE TITLE

Not content with league titles in three countries, Beckham added a fourth with Paris Saint-Germain before he was done.

He played 10 times in the latter stages of the 2012-13 campaign having signed a short-term deal that would see his entire salary donated to a local children's charity.

Beckham was made captain for the final match of his career, a 3-1 victory over Brest on May 18, 2013, and he was reduced to tears when he was substituted in the second half.

Aubameyang had five months to run on his Emirates Stadium deal but was told he could join Barca on a free transfer, which is set to be announced by the LaLiga giants on Tuesday.

Despite some confirmed interest from at least one club in England, and the threat of not playing for the rest of the season, Dembele opted to stay put in Catalonia until at least the end of the season.

Those players were discussed heavily throughout deadline day, but arguably the most remarkable transfer happened early on Monday when Christian Eriksen officially joined Brentford.

It marks a return to the Premier League – and indeed a football pitch – for Eriksen, just seven months after suffering a cardiac arrest while playing for Denmark at Euro 2020 and subsequently being fitted with a heart-starting device.

Newcastle live up to big-spending billing

In their first transfer window under their new ownership, Newcastle United spent more than any side on the continent and rounded things off by bringing in some much-needed defensive options in Dan Burn and Matt Targett.

Boyhood Newcastle fan Burn joined from Brighton and Hove Albion in a reported £13million deal, while left-back Targett will spend the rest of the season at St James' Park on loan from Aston Villa.

But it was not all good news for the Magpies as they missed out on a deal for France Under-20s striker Hugo Ekitike, who is reported to have had second thoughts and decided to remain at Reims. There was also no move for Jesse Lingard.

Tottenham and Juventus the busiest clubs

Antonio Conte was backed by the Tottenham board on deadline day with the arrivals of Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski as part of a double deal with Juventus.

Bentancur is reported to have cost Spurs an initial £15.9m (€19m) on a deal that will run through until the end of the 2025-26 season, and he will be joined in north London by Kulusevski on an initial 18-month loan with the option to buy.

It was not all about incoming activity for Tottenham in the final stages of the window, though, as club-record signing Tanguy Ndombele was returned to Lyon for the rest of the season and Bryan Gil and Giovanni Lo Celso were loaned out to LaLiga sides Valencia and Villarreal respectively.

And in a deal that went through more than an hour after the 23:00 GMT cut-off point, Dele Alli joined Everton in a transfer that could potentially earn Spurs £40m should various clauses be triggered.

Having offloaded Bentancur and Kulusevski, meanwhile, Juve further trimmed their squad by allowing Aaron Ramsey to sign for Rangers until the end of the campaign, with those deals offset by the arrival of Denis Zakaria from Borussia Monchengladbach.

Big boys quiet

Manchester City got a deal over the line for Argentina international Julian Alvarez before loaning the young forward straight back to River Plate, but it was otherwise a relatively quiet day for Europe's elite clubs.

Manchester United's only piece of business on Monday was allowing midfield outcast Donny van de Beek join Everton on loan, while Liverpool let Nat Phillips head to Bournemouth for the rest of 2021-22. The second-tier Cherries also signed Todd Cantwell, recently a target for Liverpool, to bolster their promotion ambitions.

Liverpool had hoped to bring in highly rated youngster Fabio Carvalho from Fulham, but a deal is reported to have fallen through shortly before the cut-off point after terms had already been agreed.

There was no such activity for fellow Premier League heavyweights Chelsea, as was the case for the likes of Paris Saint-Germain – despite links with Dembele – Bayern Munich, Inter, Milan and Real Madrid.

But reigning Spanish champions Atletico Madrid did manage to strengthen at left-back by bringing in Reinildo Mandava from French champions Lille.

Other notable deals...

Unsurprisingly, Premier League clubs flexed their financial muscles in a final attempt to strengthen before the deadline.

Crystal Palace turned striker Jean-Philippe Mateta's loan from Mainz into a permanent deal and Burnley signed Wout Weghorst from Wolfsburg, who moved quickly to bring in FC Copenhagen striker Jonas Wind as a replacement.

Elsewhere, Deniz Undav put pen to paper with Brighton before being loaned back to Belgian side Royale Union Saint-Gilloise. The Seagulls also signed Benicio Baker-Boaitey on loan from Porto with a view to a permanent move.

On February 9, Alli shared a video to his official Snapchat account, which showed him wearing a facemask in an airport departure lounge.

In the clip – captioned "Corona whattt [sic], please listen with volume" – Alli focused the camera on a man of Asian appearance before turning it on a bottle of antiseptic hand wash.

"This virus gunna have to be quicker than that to catch me," read the second caption.

Alli deleted the video and issued an apology on the Chinese social media platform Weibo.

Despite his contrition, Alli has been charged with a breach of FA Rule E3.

The FA statement confirming the charge read: "It is alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder's post breaches FA Rule E3(1) as it was insulting and/or improper and/or brought the game into disrepute.
 
"It is further alleged that the post constitutes an "Aggravated Breach", which is defined in FA Rule E3(2), as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to race and/or colour and/or ethnic origin and/or nationality."

Alli has until March 5 to respond to the charge.

Thuram, the son of iconic defender Lilian, is part of the squad for Wednesday's friendly with Finland and the Nations League double-header against Portugal and Sweden.

The Borussia Monchengladbach attacker has started the season well, scoring three goals and setting up two more in 11 matches, including a brace against Real Madrid.

He has been directly involved in 20 Bundesliga goals since joining Gladbach ahead of last season, with only nine players bettering that tally over the same period.

Deschamps talked up Thuram's talents when announcing his squad last week and insists the 23-year-old is ready to step out of the shadow of his dad, who made a record 142 appearances for Les Bleus.

"He likes his dad, I like him as well, but we're talking about Marcus. He's used to all this," Deschamps said at a news conference on Tuesday.

"He's easy going, relaxed and knows most of the players so I don't think there's an emotional problem. That being said, when you're here it can be different. 

"He likes when there's adrenaline, pressure, fans but I don't think it will be a problem. He's here so I count on him. When you're the son of someone, it's always a topic, especially with the French team as it doesn't happen that much."

And while Deschamps wants Thuram to be his own man, he accepts having a one-time world-class player as a father can only be a blessing.

"This is his life, his career. His dad's career is over, we all remember it," he said. "But knowing Lilian, it's going to be an advantage for Marcus - he can get his advice. 

"Most importantly, I told him that if he's here, it's only because of what he did. Being the son of someone is not a criteria to be called, it would be wrong. 

"He knows his dad, I know him, but if he's here, it's because I think he deserves it."

Kurt Zouma is another player looking to make an impact on his recall to the side, the Chelsea centre-back being preferred to RB Leipzig's highly-rated Dayot Upamecano.

He has helped Chelsea to eight clean sheets in 12 appearances this term and Deschamps will give Zouma a chance to add to his five caps over the next week or so.

"There's competition in every position," Deschamps said. "Kurt has been with us for a while, has been called many times but didn't play that much. 

"If I pick him, it's because I think he's better than others at that position because what he's doing with Chelsea.  He had a few injuries in a row, but now he's been very fit for a while. 

"He's very calm, so he's here. If you're asking why I picked those four central defenders, I have to choose. We have three games in nine days so obviously everybody will play, including Kurt."

United's interest in taking Sancho to Old Trafford has been no secret, but Dortmund have been steadfast in their refusal to sell him for anything under their reported €120million (£108m) asking price.

Sancho is under contract until 2023 and Reus is delighted at the prospect of another campaign alongisde the former Manchester City youth player at Signal Iduna Park.

"For us it's great. We were all excited that he will stay at least one more year," Dortmund captain Reus told reporters. "Simply because he keeps on delivering goals and assists via which we will collect a lot of points."

Reus does not yet know the extent of Sancho's potential and is unwilling to say whether he has the promise to perform at the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

"He's a crucial player for us and if he one day will be as big a player as the other two [Ronaldo and Messi] we will see.

"He simply needs time, a lot of experience, and there will be times where everything's not going that well and one will see how he will get through that.

"But I think he has got the necessary confidence and quality to succeed."

Dortmund face Bayern Munich in the German Super Cup on Wednesday, having suffered a surprise 2-0 defeat to Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Sancho was extremely influential as Dortmund finished second in the Bundesliga last season.

His 17 league goals trailed only Robert Lewandowski (34) and Timo Werner (28). Thomas Muller (21) was the lone player to have more assists than Sancho's 16 in the Bundesliga in 2019-20.

Eli Manning, stood next to then NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue, holding up a San Diego Chargers jersey he never had any intention of wearing.

Manning, the top pick of the 2004 draft, made clear his desire not to play for San Diego, and his refusal to do so led to him being swiftly traded to the New York Giants for fellow quarterback Philip Rivers.

Friday marks 16 years to the day of that tumultuous first round, which will forever live in NFL infamy.

But Manning is far from the only sports star to refuse to play for his team.

Here we look at five others to have taken that stance.

Geoffrey Boycott 1974-77

One of English cricket's greatest batsmen, Boycott went into self-enforced exile from the international game for reasons that remain unclear.

Boycott has since stated a loss of appetite for Test cricket was behind that decision, but others point to Mike Denness and Tony Greig's appointments to the England captaincy.

The observation has been made that Boycott left the England set-up during the peak of the careers of several legendary fast bowlers including Dennis Lillee and Michael Holding.

Boycott has taken a dim view of such comments and he made his return in 1977 against Australia and in a display of the obduracy that defined his career, batted on each of the five days at Trent Bridge, a feat only three other England players have subsequently emulated.

Dominique Wilkins 1982

Having starred at the University of Georgia, Wilkins was unhappy at being selected third overall in the NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz.

Unwilling to play for the Jazz, who at the time were blighted by cash-flow problems, Wilkins was subsequently traded to the Atlanta Hawks months later.

In exchange for Wilkins, the Jazz received John Drew, Freeman Williams, and $1million, but the deal was one they would live to regret.

Wilkins went on to become a nine-time All-Star, while Drew and Williams played only a combined four seasons for Utah.

John Elway 1983

A sought-after prospect in both American football and baseball, Elway leveraged his appeal to the latter to get out of playing for the NFL's then Baltimore Colts.

Elway was said to be reluctant to play for the Colts and his father cautioned him against working under head coach Frank Kush.

He took the advice of his dad and, when the Colts selected him first overall, reacted by saying: "As I stand here right now, I'm playing baseball."

That was a legitimate option for Elway, who had been drafted in the second round of the 1981 MLB Draft by the New York Yankees.

A Major League Baseball career never came to pass, though, as the Colts agreed to trade Elway to the Denver Broncos for offensive lineman Chris Hinton, backup quarterback Mark Herrmann and a first-round pick in 1984.

Elway would go on to become one of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL history and won two Super Bowls with the Broncos. His concerns about the Colts proved justified, as they moved to Indianapolis in 1984 and continued to struggle until the 1990s.

Bo Jackson 1986

One man who did play in both MLB and the NFL, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers missed out on one of the most dynamic athletes in American sports history despite selecting Jackson first overall.

Jackson refused to play for the Buccaneers as a visit to their facilities proved to be against NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) rules when Tampa Bay had insisted it was permitted.

As a result, Jackson missed the rest of his final college baseball season and elected to re-enter the draft the following year while spending 1986 playing for MLB's Kansas City Royals.

He was selected in the seventh round of the 1987 draft by the Oakland Raiders, whose owner Al Davis permitted him to play both sports.

The 1989 All-Star Game MVP, Jackson's achievements in baseball surpassed what he did on the football field, with a hip injury meaning he played only four seasons in the NFL.

Still, for the Bucs it was a case of what might have been.

Pierre van Hooijdonk 1998

Having returned from the World Cup to find promises of squad strengthening had not been met, Nottingham Forest striker Pierre van Hooijdonk asked for a transfer.

That request was rejected, leading Van Hooijdonk, furious at the sale of strike partner Kevin Campbell and adamant he had previously been told he could leave if he wished, went on strike, keeping fit by training with former club NAC Breda.

Forest refused to entertain offers for Van Hooijdonk, leading to an impasse that lasted until November, when he finally returned.

He scored six goals but was unable to keep Forest in the Premier League, as they finished bottom and made an immediate return to the second tier.

Their relegation led to Van Hooijdonk getting his wish in the form of a move to Vitesse, and spells with Benfica, Feyenoord and Fenerbahce followed.

The United Kingdom's departure from the European Union on December 31, 2020 will end freedom of movement between EU countries and the UK, while curtailing the rights of individuals from members states to work in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

As such, the football's governing bodies England were required to submit a proposal to the government over how they might manage the flow of overseas players.

And their plans for the implementation of a new points-based system have since been approved by the Home Office.

Clubs must now secure a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE) in order to sign a player from the EU, which will be awarded on the basis of three main criteria: Senior and youth international appearances; quality of the selling club, based on the league they are in, league position and progression in continental competition; club appearances, based on domestic league and continental competition minutes

An Exceptions Panel will also consider applications for players who fall short of those requirements.

English clubs will be banned from signing overseas players under the age of 18, and also limited to six under-21 signings per season, with three of those allowed in the January window.

Despite some concessions being forced upon the Premier League, chief executive Richard Masters reflected positively on changes that will still allow for the signing of superstar foreign players.

He said: “The Premier League has worked with the FA to come to an agreement to ensure no part of Brexit should damage the success of the Premier League, or the prospects of the England teams. We welcome the news that the Home Office has approved the Governing Body Endorsement plan for the January 2021 transfer window.

"Continuing to be able to recruit the best players will see the Premier League remain competitive and compelling and the solution will complement our player development philosophy of the best foreign talent alongside the best homegrown players. Following the January transfer window, we look forward to reviewing the agreement with the FA."

'King Eric' scored 82 goals in 185 appearances for United, winning the Premier League four times and lifting the FA Cup on two occasions.

He also won league titles with Marseille and Leeds United, as well as the Coupe de France with Montpellier.

On May 24, his 54th birthday, we look back at his illustrious but turbulent career.

The good

Name a more iconic Cantona moment than his goal against Sunderland in December 1996. The brilliant footwork to get away from two players by the halfway line and surge forward. The chip, which he stood and watched as it bounced in off the upright. The turn. The stare. The collar. Straight back, chest out.

Go ahead. I'll wait.

You could say the FA Cup-winning strike against arch-rivals Liverpool in 1996.

Or the back-post volley against title-chasing Newcastle United, the looping effort that crashed in off the underside of the crossbar against Arsenal or the solo strike against Tottenham – all of which came in a six-game scoring run that helped inspire Alex Ferguson's men to Premier League glory.

Then there were the majestic chips against Southampton and Sheffield United, the magnificent first touches to set up goals against Manchester City, Wimbledon and Derby County.

For Leeds fans, it's probably being part of their last top-flight championship team in 1991-92 or his hat-trick in the 4-3 Charity Shield victory over Liverpool.

Even since retiring he's shone in the spotlight. Upon receiving the UEFA President's Award in August he quoted Shakespeare's King Lear in his acceptance speech, going viral online and initially leaving many bemused.

Enough iconic moments for you? Let's move on.

The bad

While his rebellious, defiant spirit helped endear Cantona to so many, it also led to some tetchy on-field moments.

Cantona had a touch of a nasty streak, often leaving a foot in or lunging in with two.

One such example came while he was representing Auxerre in the 1980s. Chasing back and with the ball on the opposite side of Nantes' Michel Der Zakarian, a drop-kick to the thigh of his opponent unsurprisingly landed Cantona a three-month ban.

There was also the occasional little kick in the challenge, or a stamp when he felt wronged.

And it wasn't just the opposition that could draw his ire.

At Marseille he was suspended indefinitely for kicking the ball into the crowd and throwing his shirt at the referee when substituted in an exhibition match.

At Nimes he launched the ball at a referee and then issued insults at his disciplinary hearing, consequently seeing his three-game ban was extended to two months.

Yeah, it wasn't all good.

The ugly

Whatever Cantona did to ingratiate himself with Leeds fans was undone shortly after moving to Manchester United.

In February 1993, Cantona was accused of spitting at supporters of the West Yorkshire club and ended up being fined £1,000.

However, that incident – and punishment – pales into insignificance when put against his infamous kung-fu kick aimed at Crystal Palace supporter Matthew Simmons in January 1995.

After being shown a red card for lashing out at Richard Shaw, Cantona took a detour on his walk towards the Selhurst Park tunnel and went for the Palace fan, who he claimed had been aiming xenophobic abuse at him.

The following day's headlines ran: "The night football died of shame", "Is this the end for the madman?", "Absolute thuggery in front of children".

Cantona was banned for eight months and fined the maximum of two weeks' wages.

As a media storm swirled in the aftermath, Cantona delivered one of his most memorable quotes to sum up his treatment, taking a sip of water mid-sentence to add drama that would hold him in good stead for a later career in acting.

He said: "When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea."

Regardless of some opinions of him, Cantona will remain one of the Premier League's most enduring figures.