Leeds set for six-figure bill from EFL ahead of Championship re-start - report

The EFL is set to use Nationwide Pathology to conduct extensive Coronavirus testing – expected to begin this week – but Leeds United will have to foot the bill.

The Mail report claims that the cost of testing is set to be £100,000 and that player testing will begin on Thursday ahead of a return to training on Monday.

No player can train until he has a negative test result and Leeds can use their own medical staff to conduct the tests.

In a fascinating snippet in the report, the Mail claims that Leeds had already purchased their own testing machine from Randox Toxicology.

That can't be used for official results now but could be used for the families of players and non-footballing staff.

The cost of football is rising

It's no surprise to see Leeds ahead of the game.

Leeds might have been quiet in public while other clubs are setting out their own cases of self-interest, but they've been busy behind the scenes.

Leeds were one of the first clubs to agree a wage deferral with players so non-footballing staff could be paid.

The news that they procured a testing machine is another example of the forward-thinking at Leeds.

Rob Price, Head of Medicine and Performance at Leeds, has really impressed us with the treatment of players and a holistic approach to fitness at the club.

Athletic journalist Phil Hay confirmed that Price was talking about the potential impact of Coronavirus in the last week of January, way before the UK lockdown.

And this testing machine could now be used to make players feel better about playing, with capacity to test families too.

The £100,000 bill is quite concerning, though. It's another drain for Leeds at a time when there are no gate receipts coming in. We imagine it will be even more painful for other clubs in a more precarious financial state.

If that's the price of getting football back on then so be it, but we think it's a bill that should have been picked up by the EFL.

In other Leeds United news, Telegraph report details exciting EFL plan for remainder of Leeds 19/20 fixtures