BREAKING: Football fans celebrate as the EPL is finally set to return

Reports reaching National Daily reveal that the English Premier League (EPL) is at an advanced stage in talks with the United Kingdom Government over a return for football in June.

National Daily understands from the report by Mirror Sport that there is a tentative agreement for the top flight to resume behind closed doors after the 20 clubs mapped out a plan with senior officials on a resumption of matches.

However, the prospective plan – which has been discussed at the highest level – would see games played under strictly-controlled conditions behind closed doors.

The league officials have also discussed extensive measures to keep the players in a sterile environment as much as possible while limiting contact with the wider public National Daily further learnt.

Interestingly, there have also been talks with TV companies for an extension of televised games during June to ensure that fans are kept away from the stadiums with clubs hopeful some can even be shown on terrestrial TV.

Talks for an extension of televised games is encouraged

Sky and BT have rights to show some of the remaining fixtures but not a capacity to show all, and discussions have centred on a free-to-air agreement that will allow far more to be screened.

At present, the plan presented to the Government is in extensive form, with details to be fully thrashed out as the situation in the UK improves in the coming months.

Meanwhile, National Daily further gathered that the Premier League is in no doubt that should the situation get worse in the UK over the next six weeks, a return would have to be delayed further despite the tentative agreement with the officials.

The relief is that the health officials are confident that a peak is close, and that distancing measures imposed on the public will begin to have an impact on the number of cases in the UK and the subsequent number of deaths.

Again, the UK Government sources have suggested things will improve by the middle of April, and there has even been talk in some quarters of games being allowed to take place in front of supporters if the situation improves dramatically.

The Premier League plan, though, has stuck firmly to discussions about behind closed doors games only, and that is the outline that has been given a tentative green light.

Clubs were told, at the meeting on Friday, to start preparing for a possible June return, with players expected to ramp up training in May.

That would see them return to some form of training camp, but with precautions taken to ensure they remain isolated from the wider public.

There will be more talks in the coming weeks as the situation over infected numbers becomes clearer, but the clubs are aware that June is now a very real prospect, with most facing nine games each over the period, along with the remaining FA Cup matches