Premier League Winter Break: What Every Club Is Doing During Their Time Off

The first-ever Premier League winter break has begun, with the majority of club set enjoy at least 12 consecutive days off.


Not every team has started their break, with the game scheduling staggered to ensure that there will remain Premier League football on throughout February. But, by the end of the month, all will have had time off in order to rest and recharge following a bust Christmas and January.

You can see precisely when and how long for each club has their break here, but this is a rundown of what every club is doing for their winter break.


Arsenal

Arsenal players were given time off immediately after their last game against Burnley and have a warm-weather training camp in Dubai that begins on Friday.

Many of the players have already made their way out of the gulf state, with new manager Mikel Arteta even said to be encouraging his squad to bring their families with them.

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Aston Villa

​​Aston Villa players have been given the first week of their winter break off to rest at home or go on holiday, with training to resume after the weekend.


Jack Grealish and Tyrone Mings have holidayed together, even finding time to make fun of injured teammates John McGinn...


​​Bournemouth

Bournemouth still have another game to play this coming weekend before their winter break begins, but the Cherries squad are thought to be getting a week off, before training resumes.


Brighton

The Seagulls are another team in action this coming weekend before having their time off. They were initially planning a trip to Dubai for warm weather training, but security concerns over heightening political tensions will see them head somewhere in Europe instead


Burnley

Burnley are staying at home for their winter break, with the players afforded some time off this week and training will later resume as normal. “The players will get a few days off but it is up to them what they do with it,” manager Sean Dyche said of the plans.


Chelsea

Many Chelsea players have been jetting off around the world during their time off, with a number of stars heading for Dubai, including Tammy Abraham and Fikayo Tomori.

Jorginho, meanwhile, has travelled back to his native Brazil. Mason Mount and Ross Barkley have also gone to Dubai, but have used their time there for training as well.

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Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace don’t have plans for warm-weather training when their winter break begins after the weekend, but manager Roy Hodgson has urged the players to use this opportunity to ‘get away from football and spend time with their families’.


Everton

For new Toffees boss Carlo Ancelotti, the winter break could almost serve like a mini pre-season that he wasn’t able to have owing to his arrival at a busy moment. A few days off will follow their next game, but after that the Italian wants to get a good look at his squad on the training pitch.


Leicester

The high-flying Foxes decided against formal plans for a squad trip away this week in case they ended up locked into an FA Cup replay. As it was, the players have had the opportunity to go on their own holiday instead. James Maddison has been in Dubai and met up with Ross Barkley.


​​Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp and Liverpool have dominated the winter break headlines as a result of the decision to send an Under-23 side to play the club’s FA Cup replay against Shrewsbury.

Klopp wanted to ensure that his stars got as much rest as possible and many have jetted off around the world for their own holidays and mini-breaks. They have not neglected training, however, and have had access to facilities and coaches while away. 

​James Milner, meanwhile, was the one first-team star who attended the win over Shrewsbury at Anfield.

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Manchester City

There is no formal warm-weather training camp for Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City players, who must first play West Ham this weekend before their break begins. Instead, the squad will be granted time off, with normal training to resume after that.​​


Manchester United

Manchester United initially had plans to head to Dubai for a training camp until deciding against the idea as a result of security concerns. They are instead expected to go most likely to Spain as a group instead, with all the players getting time off this week.

Fred is on his honeymoon in the Maldives, but a number of other players, including Jesse Lingard, Daniel James and Luke Shaw, have headed to Dubai. Injured Marcus Rashford was given time off a little earlier and was rubbing shoulders with stars at the Super Bowl in Miami

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Newcastle

Newcastle have had to make do with a shortened winter break because of an FA Cup replay. But following the win over Oxford, manager Steve Bruce opted to give the players time off until after the weekend. Preparation for their next game on 16 February then begins.


Sheffield United

With their winter break to start after this coming weekend, Sheffield United have not been put off a training camp in Dubai, unlike other clubs. Manager Chris Wilder will take his Blades squad out there as soon as Sunday’s clash with Bournemouth is out of the way.


Southampton

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Saints have the shortest winter break of any club in the Premier League, with just nine full days off between this week’s FA Cup replay against Tottenham and a 15 February clash with Burnley. That hasn’t really left any proper time for international jet setting.


Tottenham

Trust Jose Mourinho to gripe about the winter break, ruing the timing and suggesting it should be later so it helps for the Champions League. It has also been shortened because of the FA Cup.

“I’m not happy that the break comes in the wrong moment. The break should be before the Champions League and, in the end, before the Champions League we don’t have the break. So we don’t really care about the break, honestly,” Mourinho remarked last week.


Watford

It will be as simply as a few days and a returning to training as normal for Nigel Pearson’s Watford team. That will begin after this weekend’s clash with Brighton.


West Ham

West Ham will enjoy one of the longer winter breaks in the Premier League, with 14 full days off between games beginning after this weekend’s fixture. There are no known plans, but David Moyes cannot afford to go too easy on the players amid the threat of relegation – the club’s financial wellbeing depends on survival, according to accounts published last month.


Wolves

Nuno Espirito Santo and his Wolves squad are in Marbella this week for their warm-weather training camp. Of all the clubs not involved in an FA Cup replay, they have the joint shortest winter break of any team and are back in action as soon as Friday 14 February.

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Source : 90min