Tyrone Mings says Premier League return is driven by money

Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings believes the Premier League’s return is driven by money.

The England defender also said players were the last to be consulted about the top flight’s comeback plans.

The Premier League is due to restart on June 17 after being halted in March by the coronavirus pandemic.

There were no positive results in the most recent round of tests at Premier League clubs and the UK government says elite sport can return behind closed doors from Monday.

Mings told the Daily Mail: “Project Restart is financially driven. I think everybody accepts that.

“But that’s fine with me because I look at this monster that is Premier League football and the revenue it creates and I didn’t moan about being a part of it when everything was great so I’m not going to moan now when the atmosphere around the game is more hesitant.

“I am all for playing again because we have no other choice.

“As players, we were the last people to be consulted about Project Restart and that is because of where we fall in football’s order of priority. That isn’t a problem.

“We got the option to come back to training and that’s fine because we didn’t have to but if the FA and the EFL and the government and UEFA and the Premier League all say you are going back to play, it really doesn’t make any difference what the players think because you’re going back to play.”

The top-flight has conducted 3,882 tests for the virus over four rounds of testing on players and staff at clubs.

There were 12 positive results from the first three rounds but there was an all-clear from the fourth screening session which featured tests of 1,130 players and club personnel.

Villa are due to resume on June 17 against Sheffield United, their game in hand, and Mings is eager to get going with Dean Smith’s side second bottom.

“I would be lying if I said it had never crossed my mind that we might be relegated without kicking another ball,” Mings said.

“What player wants to be relegated with 10 games left while also having a game in hand? “