PFA chief Gordon Taylor says players don’t want to be seen as ‘guinea pigs’ as he outlines a five stage plan for players to return to training.

Clubs hope to resume training on Monday, but only if there is an agreement with players and managers amid the coronavirus pandemic which has seen the season suspended for two months.

The Premier League is said to hold a conference call with club captain, managers and seek medical advice on Wednesday to focus on player welfare after several high-profile names outlined their concerns.

And Taylor says players will need to be assured their concerns are listened to, and the risks are minimised, before returning to training.

"It's never easy when we've had over six weeks of being told to stay inside, and the next minutes it's the start of what's being perceived as the easing of these restrictions," Taylor said.

"The players don't want to be seen as guinea pigs and that will apply to everyone in professional sport.

"It's about getting the balance of safety and also trying to get back to normality as much as possible."

Some clubs have already returned to training, observing social distancing measures with players arriving on their own and wearing their training kit, with only small groups taking part, limiting player contact and the need to use indoor facilities.

"Thinking about returning to training, it's going to be a staged process. There's going to be five steps and it's caution all the way," Taylor told Sky Sports.

"We'll put our toe back into the water as things are eased back in, mindful that there could be a backbite and that's where the medical experts come in.

"It's the very first stage, it'll be very controlled, and it'll be as safe as humanly possible.

"We need the players to be assured on all the questions they put forward. We can then give them careful consideration, mindful that they need proper time to return to training if the season is to recommence."

Taylor also acknowledged he will need to dispel fears of black and ethnic minority players after figures released by NHS England showed a trend of people from a BAME background being disproportionately affected by COVID-19.

He added: "We need to make sure our BAME players are properly protected if there is an incidence of higher rates with those players.

"We need to give everyone confidence that every single safety measure has been taken on their behalf."