Premier League latest: Third Brighton player tests positive for coronavirus

The rest of the squad will continue to train as they have been doing during the lockdown, both at home and in solo sessions at the club's training ground.

Two other players, whose names have also not been revealed by the club, contracted the virus earlier in the pandemic, but are understood to have since recovered.

Brighton chief executive Paul Barber confirmed the third positive test, telling Sky Sports News: "It is a concern, unfortunately we have had a third player test positive just yesterday.

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"Unfortunately, despite all the measures we have all been taking over the last few weeks, when the players haven't been involved in taking any significant training at all, we have still suffered another player testing positive for the virus.

"There are concerns and I think it is normal for all clubs to have those concerns. We want to make sure we do all that we can that the protocols that are put into place are safe and secure and mitigate the risk."

Brighton have been criticised for their vocal stance, but Barber insists everyone is acting with self-interest.

"People will accuse us of self-interest, I totally understand that, but at this stage of the season there is self-interest at every level of the table," he added.

"There is as much self-interest at the top as there is at the bottom, there is as much self-interest in the middle as there is at the bottom.

"Everyone has different objectives for the season and we are all looking to play out the season, if it is safe to do so, and we really do want to play, and we want to make sure the competition stays as fair as it can be despite these exceptional circumstances that we are facing."

Ashworth: Safety first

The news comes as Seagulls technical director Dan Ashworth has called for players' safety to be on top of the agenda at Monday's Premier League meeting.

Clubs will meet for a crunch vote on Project Restart's plans to complete the Premier League season at neutral venues - something Brighton have been vocally critical of.

It is understood that is the only issue of the planned resumption that Brighton are against and want the chance to secure survival on the pitch.

It is understood they are against the idea of the current sides occupying the bottom three - Norwich, Watford and Aston Villa - to be relegated if the season cannot be completed.

Ashworth insists that player safety is the main issue to be addressed, with Sunday's third diagnosis of one of his players sure to bring that into further focus.

"The safety of players and staff is top of that list, everyone's working hard to minimise risk for those groups," he told the club's official website.

"Then there's a series of things: Where will the games be played? When can we start? When can the players train to make sure they're not at risk of injury? How will the games be aired?

"The most important thing is safety, then you can look at the whole thing and discuss how it can all look, it's about putting together the pieces of the jigsaw once we have a better idea of what the plan looks like."

Crystal Palace chairman Steve Parish is backing Premier League clubs to come to a consensus. Read more here.

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