Premier League clubs not releasing players to red-listed countries for World Cup qualifying

Word broke Monday that Liverpool will not release star forward Mohamed Salah for Egypt's World Cup qualifiers in September because his nation is on England's "red list," meaning Salah would have to quarantine upon his return to England and, thus, miss at least two Premier League matches. 

The English top-flight confirmed Tuesday that none of its clubs will release players scheduled to participate in upcoming international fixtures held in red-list countries. 

"Extensive discussions have taken place with both The FA and the Government to find a solution, but due to ongoing public health concerns relating to incoming travelers from red-list countries, no exemption has been granted," the Premier League explained. 

"If required to quarantine on return from red list countries, not only would players’ welfare and fitness be significantly impacted, but they would also be unavailable to prepare for and play in two Premier League match rounds, a UEFA club competition matchday and the third round of the EFL Cup. 

"This period takes into consideration 10 days of hotel quarantine on return to England but does not include any additional time that would be required for players to regain match fitness." 

According to ESPN, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Peru are among the noteworthy nations impacted by Tuesday's update. However, Premier League chief executive Richard Masters added in the release that the league remains "open to workable solutions" to allow footballers to feature for their national teams in September. 

Time is, however, running out for such a resolution to be reached.