Premier League players are set to rack up a huge amount of air miles before the new season even begins in August.
It has been a marathon campaign for some stars, with Jack Grealish for example involved in 59 games as he helped Man City to an historic treble. That culminated with joining the England camp for further matches with Malta and North Macedonia, meaning he could not put his feet up until June 19.
The introduction of the new Europa Conference League has also extended workloads for many players, with Declan Rice notching 61 appearances in what will surely prove his final season in West Ham colours. And the frenzied schedule is set to continue this summer, with many clubs having scheduled friendlies in early July.
The Sun has reported that England's top-flight teams will play a minimum of 64 summer friendlies between them this summer, with the period spanning less than four weeks and incorporating four different countries. The distance travelled will amount to a massive 170,758 miles.
And PFA chief executive Maheta Molango has said it's a notion that needs to be sorted out: "A properly co-ordinated approach to the football calendar is needed to address the growing pressure being placed on players," he said. "They themselves are saying their wellbeing has to be prioritised."
Molango, 40, also expressed concerns over the introduction of Fifa’s revamped 32-team Club World Cup, which is due to be staged in the United States in 2025: “Players’ schedules will become even further complicated by the expansion of both club and international calendars in the coming seasons.
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“Space will need to be found alongside the long-distance pre-season tours clubs already take part in. A player-first approach is needed, one that acknowledges the need for a balanced and sustainable calendar. This is crucial for the overall health of the sport."
Manchester United are a prime example of the gruelling schedule some clubs will endure before the opening Premier League weekend from August 12-14. Erik ten Hag's team will kick off their pre-season by facing Leeds in Oslo on July 12 and then play seven more matches ahead of their opening league match with Wolves.
None of them will take place in England though, with the Red Devils travelling to Edinburgh before touring America. United will round off their preparations with a game in Dublin against Athletic Bilbao on August 6.
