DEAN KEATES believes a delayed start to the 2020-21 season will mean clubs play a waiting game before making new signings because of financial restraints.

The current campaign has been suspended indefinitely because of the coronavius crisis that has gripped the country, with the National League board now focussed on deciding how to award promotion and relegation.

The pandemic could affect the kick-off date of next season, which would normally get underway in early-August but might be put back due to the current situation.

And for this reason, Wrexham boss Keates believes teams can't afford to recruit transfer targets in the short-term as they would have to pay their wages for an extended period of time whilst there are no games being played.

"It looks like the season has come to an end," said Keates. "The League have basically underlined that with what they have said in the statement.

"We have got to deal with this season first and foremost, but it is completely up in the air and it is not nice for players.

"There will be players coming to the end of their contracts at the end of April; if next season does not start until September or October, there is going to be five months with players potentially not getting paid.

"As a club, would you look at recruiting to start paying somebody in May but you don't start the season until four or five months later? It is something you couldn't do.

"Everything is completely up in the air and we need some clarity on which way it is going."

The last round of fixtures were scheduled for April 25 and unlike Football League clubs who give contracts until the end of June, a lot of non-league players would be free agents after the final game of the season.

With some players having possibly signed pre-contract agreements at another club, Keates believes extending the campaign into July and beyond would be too big a hurdle to overcome.

And with no indication of when football will resume, Keates says league chiefs might be forced to null and void the season.

"The end of June is when Football League contracts end," said Keates.

"We have got a few contracts that carry on to that date but once you get beyond that date, you start opening up different things.

"Players could have signed pre-contract at football clubs, or does a manager offer a player a two-month contract who he doesn't see as part of his long term plans at the football club, just to finish the season.

"It needs to get to a point where you say that is it unfortunately.

"What has happened is bigger than football and it might have to be a null and void season."