Coronavirus: Chinese Super League plan to start 2020 season in June

Most football campaigns around the world have been halted or cancelled

The Chinese Super League have begun plans to start their 2020 season, which was due to have started in February.

While many European league seasons were interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic, some having since been cancelled or annulled, the CSL never actually got to start as the virus spread out of China.

Now, Goal report that the Chinese FA have instructed clubs that they may begin preparing for a new season, which they hope may start in June or July at the earliest.

With the nation returning to an element of normality after some social restrictions are slowly lifted, teams have begun training and may soon be able to bring players in who were caught outside the country when the lockdown began.

Paulinho, formerly of Tottenham and Barcelona, and Marko Arnautovic, formerly of West Ham and Werder Bremen, are two who are still outside China.

The current plans appear to include two phases of testing for Covid-19 for all players and coaches who will be involved in CSL matches.

A first batch will be carried out in the near future, with a second test to take place before matches resume.

Marouane Fellaini, who plays for Shandong Luneng in the CSL, left hospital this week after being treated for coronavirus.

Top European leagues are still months away from possible restarts, with the likes of Italy, Spain and the UK still suffering considerable numbers of infections and having felt the worst of the pandemic some time after it spread out of China.