Canaries breached coronavirus rules after signing Spaniard, claims report

Norwich City’s signing of Spaniard Xavi Quintilla is under scrutiny after claims the club broke government rules on coronavirus measures.

It is claimed in a report by The Athletic that Quintilla appeared at the club’s training ground and took part in a training session without self-isolating after arriving from Spain. The Athletic also claim he was photographed with a group of young children.

Quintilla was expected to be involved in Friday afternoon’s friendly match against MK Dons as well as travelling with the team to their training camp in Germany next week.

The 23-year-old Quintilla has been subject to a number of coronavirus tests, all of which have been negative. He was tested three times in Spain and then again in the UK, before he joined up with his new club, since when he has passed another test. It is understood he was tested again on Thursday, and will discover the result of that on Friday.

Last month the government ordered that individuals travelling from Spain into the United Kingdom must isolate for 14 days.

The EFL has followed the lead of the Premier League and told clubs there would be no exemptions for players coming into the UK from countries where the government has imposed quarantine travel measures – including France, Belgium, Holland and Portugal, in addition to Spain.

The report on The Athletic website says on August 10, Quintilla – signed on Monday – published an Instagram photo of himself in Villarreal in Spain – which would show he could not have undergone 14 days of quarantine.

They also say he arrived into England from Spain at the earliest on Friday, August 14.