Premier League clubs begin face-mask shopping amid restart plans

Altitude Mask founder Saif Rubie: "Our product has been sent out to six or seven Premier League clubs in the last couple of days"

As 'Project Restart' builds momentum, Altitude Mask founder Saif Rubie reveals up to seven Premier League clubs have put orders in for their masks

Premier League clubs have begun a shopping spree of face masks with 'Project Restart' set to be discussed by the teams on Friday.

The clubs are determined to finish the 2019/20 campaign and are due to receive proposals about how the season could resume as early as June 8.

Premier League players will have to cover their faces as part of new rules to allow a safe return to full training, although some have already expressed concerns, including Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero and Brighton's Glenn Murray.

Sky Sports News' chief reporter Bryan Swanson outlines what will need to happen at training grounds across England for the Premier League to resume

The proposals have been drafted by Premier League director of football Richard Garlick, but a return to training will only happen with the agreement of the government.

"In the last three days we have been inundated with requests, mainly from the Bundesliga and the Premier League," Altitude Mask founder Saif Rubie told Sky Sports News.

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"Our product has been sent out to six or seven Premier League clubs in the last couple of days."

Rubie also confirmed that some Premier League clubs and players - as well as other sporting stars - had been using Altitude Mask products before the coronavirus pandemic hit the globe.

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Image: Marcus Rashford is among those to have used an Altitude Mask

Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford, Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale, Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli and heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua are among those to have used the masks.

"A lot of our current users are some of the biggest players in the Premier League," Rubie added. "They used our products even before all this happened.

"We've always been at the forefront of creating the best environment for training and respiratory activity. I can't tell you exactly which clubs. But we've worked with some of the biggest clubs.

Alan McInally insists this season must be completed before any talk of the next campaign is raised

"Crystal Palace, West Ham, Bournemouth and a couple of the Chelsea players have all used our products in the past. I think recently Michy Batshuayi posted on social media wearing one of our masks when training.

"Marcus Rashford has used it in the past, so has Dele Alli and Gareth Bale. Even boxer Anthony Joshua too. I've also been in discussions with the PFA (Professional Footballers' Association). They are fully up to date with what's going on.

"We want to do our best to give our support and hopefully see the return of Premier League football and boost the morale of the country."

Testing proposals to be put to clubs

FIFA Medical Committee chairman Dr Michel D’Hooghe says health must be the priority when decisions are made about the resumption of football

Clubs will also be presented with proposals to test players and officials at least twice a week, subject to government approval.

The proposals have been drafted by Premier League medical advisor Dr Mark Gillett, following close consultation with other European leagues, including La Liga in Spain and the Bundesliga in Germany.

But testing will only be done on the understanding it does not compromise the testing of key workers during the coronavirus pandemic.

The tests will be paid for by the Premier League and privately sourced, so it does not take any resources from public health needs.

'Project Restart' - when are PL clubs back in training?

Arsenal's players have been allowed to return to their London Colney training ground, but are training individually and maintaining social distancing

Some Premier League teams have returned to training grounds - subject to strict conditions and social distancing measures.

Arsenal were the first to welcome back members of their first-team squad on April 27 but players must travel alone, do their individual workout and return home.

Tottenham players returned to training at their Hotspur Way base earlier this week, with Harry Kane among those to arrive first ahead of staggered shifts involving the first-team squad.

West Ham's Rush Green training ground is open to players but with strict conditions attached including a one-in one-out policy, while Sheffield United players are individually returning for fitness testing and Wolves players are are able to access their training facilities for individual running sessions during the pandemic.

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