World players' union FIFPro have criticised the practice of players returning to clubs returning to pre-season early after the World Cup in Russia.
Phil Jones and Marcus Rashford will both return to pre-season this week, more than a week earlier than anticipated. It comes after Jose Mourinho called on his absent stars to follow the English pair's example and rejoin the club. The likes of Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku and Jesse Lingard are yet to return.
Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek has also already begun training while Manchester City star Bernardo Silva admitted the club asked him to return early in order to be fully fit for the start of the season.
However, the move is in breach of clause 14 under the PFA's standard player contract and FIFAPro told the Times they were concerned by potential 'emotional blackmail' of players. They claim they are aware of at least 15 players who returned and featured in UEFA competitions between two-four weeks after the end of their World Cup involvement. It is feared that the insufficient break will lead to burnout.
The Premier League season begins on the 10 August.
