A winter break will soon be introduced to help Premier League clubs battle player fatigue and aid England's preparation for major tournaments, Football Association chief executive Martin Glenn has revealed.
Sources told ESPN FC in February that talks were ongoing between the FA, the Premier League and Football League with a view to introducing a break in time for the 2019-20 season, ahead of that summer's European Championship.
And in a speech to FA council members on Tuesday that was subsequently published on the governing body's website, Glenn revealed that the break will be announced "very soon" as a result of all parties working productively to find a solution.
"We're working closer and more collaboratively with the professional game than at any time in recent years," Glenn said.
"Very soon this will pay dividends with the creation of a midseason break, which is a much needed improvement for our clubs and England teams."
According to the Times, a breakthrough in discussions came when the FA agreed to move the entire FA Cup fifth round to a midweek slot, with the difference in the competition's TV rights to be covered by Premier League broadcast deals.
The 13-day break will be staggered across late January and early February so all clubs will have a slightly different stretch of time off, enabling broadcasters to continue showing Premier League matches on every weekend of the season.
Germany, Spain, Italy and France already have midseason breaks and a lack of the same has often been cited by players, managers and pundits as a key reason for the England team's poor performance at major international tournaments.