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Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said he will not force players to return following the coronavirus pandemic if they do not feel it is safe to do so.
The Premier League has a tentative plan to resume in June with players returning to training later this month.
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Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is among those who have raised concerns about restarting football while the country is still in a government-imposed lockdown to stop the spread of the outbreak.
Sources have told ESPN a number of players are concerned about the league’s Project Restart scheme and Solskjaer said his United team will not be forced to play against their wishes.
“You wouldn’t hold anything against them,” Solskjaer told Sky Sports.”You need to get to know everyone and if a player is mentally ready to play. I don’t think we could force anyone.
“They’ve not raised too many concerns and we trust the experts who know if and when it’s safe to start again.”
The suspension of the sport halted an 11-game unbeaten run for Solskjaer’s team that included a victory over Chelsea and two against neighbours City.
However, the break has also allowed injured stars Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford extra time to prepare for the end of the campaign as United look to claim a place in the top four and next season’s Champions League.
“For those two it gives them a chance to start on a par or even ahead of the other players,” Solskjaer added.
“They have been focused, so mentally it’s maybe easier for them to train harder now because they can see light at the end of the tunnel.
“It’s exciting. We do have an exciting squad. Bruno [Fernandes] coming in and making an impact is great for everyone, it was a boost for the club. Getting Pogba and Marcus back would be fantastic.”