Premier League: Unvaxed stars are giving clubs a huge headache

Over 19 months have passed since the NHS administered the first vaccine, yet English football continues to be gripped by Covid-19.

On Saturday, Chelsea confirmed Ruben Loftus-Cheek and N’Golo Kante, who are paid in the region of £20million in combined wages a year, did not travel on the club’s tour of the USA due their vaccination status.

On Monday, it emerged Crystal Palace were taking just 10 senior outfield players on their tour of Singapore and Australia, with key men Wilfried Zaha, Eberechi Eze, Marc Guehi and Michael Olise among those staying behind.

The Eagles are not revealing whether those not travelling cannot make the trip because they are unvaccinated, instead saying absent players do not meet the entry requirements or are ‘not currently fit’.

It doesn’t take a detective to arrive at the correct conclusion.

There is frustration at both clubs that preparations for the new season are being impacted by an issue that is so easily settled.

Chelsea midfielders N’Golo Kante (left) and Ruben Loftus-Cheek (right) will miss their pre-season tour of the United States because of their Covid-19 vaccination status

The absence of the two midfielders will affect Thomas Tuchel’s pre-season preparations

Clubs have tried to influence players but are powerless to force them to have the jab. Paying footballers millions of pounds only for them to be unavailable to play and train as normal comes as an irritation to clubs.

One agent who has unvaccinated stars on his books says his clients have ‘trust issues’ in believing the overwhelming scientific evidence in favour of being vaccinated. The chances of them changing their minds appears slim.

At the very top of the game, where player power is king, the issue is unlikely to be resolved any time soon.

It is a different story outside of the top flight. Sportsmail has been told of lower league footballers, originally unvaccinated, who have altered their stance in order to secure transfers — and pay rises — this summer after the buying club insisted they would only complete a deal if they agreed to have the jab. 

Some clubs are taking matters into their own hands this summer, using their relationships with agents to pressurise the unvaccinated into reconsidering.

Meanwhile, at Crystal Palace, Wilfried Zaha (left) and Michael Olise (right) were both been left behind in the UK

Christian Benteke is another high-profile player who has not travelled with Vieira’s squad

Many players remain unmoved. One who saw a family member fall drastically ill still refuses to have the jab.

Whether a player’s vaccination status truly has a telling impact on a club’s decision to sign a player is open to doubt — although Sportsmail knows of at least one EFL side who are refusing to sign any unvaccinated footballers this summer.

But if a manager believes an unvaccinated player can make the difference between success and failure, many would make the signing and cope with the consequences later.

Nevertheless, it is undeniable that vaccination status is emerging as a significant factor for clubs during the summer window.

England defender Marc Guehi has also been left out of the squad, as has Eberechi Eze (right)

Some clubs are already preparing for the worst this winter. Asking non-vaccinated players to use separate changing and shower facilities next season is said to be among the options being considered as teams look at ways of ensuring the chances of an outbreak are kept to a minimum.

The relaxation of Covid protocols in the UK offers clubs some room to manoeuvre — a luxury not afforded to teams in France and Italy, where vaccination is compulsory for players.

But while society moves out of the Covid era, football clubs are still being hampered.

And, for many clubs, signing non-vaccinated players is simply more trouble than it’s worth.

Despite vaccines being widely available, Premier League clubs are still gripped by Covid-19