Arsenal confirms manager Mikel Arteta tests positive for Coronavirus
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, 37 tested positive for coronavirus and the club’s game against Brighton on Saturday has been postponed.
“This is disappointing, I took the test after feeling poorly. I will be at work as soon as I’m allowed,” said Arteta in disappointment.
“The health of our people and the wider public is our priority and that is where our focus is,” a statement from Arsenal managing director Vinai Venkatesham also read.
“We are in active dialogue with all the relevant people to manage this situation appropriately, and we look forward to getting back to training and playing as soon as medical advice allows,” added the director.
Information coming in from the Gunners’ camp indicates that they have closed their training ground and club staff who had recent contact with Arteta will now self-isolate.
Meanwhile, Arsenal expects a “significant number of people” will self-isolate, including the full first-team squad.
The club was due to face Brighton in the Premier League at Amex Stadium on Saturday but Brighton released a statement, shortly after confirmation of Arteta’s positive test, announcing that the game had been called off.
The Premier League will also hold “an emergency club meeting today, Friday 13th to discuss future fixtures.
According to an article from BBC, all 20 Premier League clubs want to decide on a unified strategy, and one of the possible options that will be discussed at the meeting is postponing the rest of this weekend’s scheduled fixtures.
Earlier this week, Arsenal’s Premier League clash with Manchester City on was called off as a “precautionary measure” and several Gunners players went into self-isolation after Olympiakos owner Evangelos Marinakis contracted coronavirus.
It was mentioned that Marinakis, 52, met many Arsenal players before and after their Europa League match two weeks ago.
Besides, information from other premier league clubs including Manchester City indicates that defender Benjamin Mendy is self-isolating as a precaution after a member of his family was admitted to hospital displaying symptoms of coronavirus.
Three Leicester City first-team players have also self-isolated after showing symptoms of coronavirus.
Way forward
The Premier League may now be edging closer to an unprecedented suspension after several clubs have reported fears of contracting the virus.
Even though the Premier League and EFL are desperate to get their remaining matches played but the situation seems unbearable now.
