Premier League players have been told that clubs are set to lose £1.137 billion over the coronavirus crisis, as talks over wage cuts failed to reach an agreement.
A video conference call was held on Saturday afternoon where a presentation from the Premier League to captains and coaches, explained why clubs want their players to accept a reduction in their pay.
The extraordinary conference call finished with no resolution on wage cuts for players, and has been left for the players to consider what they would like to happen.
Premier League clubs failed to reach an agreement on wage cuts in a conference call
Given the complexities of getting more than 50 representatives on the same call, with each club allowed three representatives and most selecting their captain and coach to attend, it was unlikely anything would be finalised today.
The Premier League is understood to have presented the scenarios, the worst-case being that the league couldn’t restart, which would mean paying back £762m to broadcasters. A 30 per cent wage cut would cover most of that.
That went some way to answering the key question of players, which was that if they were to sacrifice wages, how would the money be spent.
With some clubs paying dividends, other awarding bonuses to executive staff and many planning expensive transfers when play resumes, there was scepticism prior to the meeting that all the cost needs to be borne by player wage cuts.
Other scenarios presented, such as a re-start in June, would require less of a sacrifice. But players, led by the efforts of Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire, Liverpool and Manchester United captains respectively, are already committed to curtailing wages to help the NHS.
Manchester City’s Raheem Sterling earns £300,000 per week while Anthony Martial – who plays for Manchester United – earns £250,000 per week
The talks on Saturday took place after Premier League clubs previously agreed to ask their players to accept wage cuts or deferrals of 30 per cent after holding coronavirus crunch talks.
The top flight also voted to advance the EFL and National League’s £125m payment as they continue to battle the effects of the coronavirus.
The Premier League also pledged to make a £20million donation to the NHS, local communities, families and groups who have been affected by the coronavirus crisis.
It comes after Matt Hancock urged top footballers to support club staff who are being furloughed at the taxpayers’ expense.
The Health Secretary’s incendiary comments at Thursday’s No10 press briefing roused the passions of outspoken sports personalities including Gary Lineker.
Manchester United’s Paul Pogba earns £268,750 per week while Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City earns £320,000 every seven days
Lineker, who is donating two months of his £1.75million salary to the British Red Cross, said footballers should not be vilified yet.
The Match Of The Day host said: ‘It’s now up to the players how to respond.
‘Let’s give them a chance to respond before this hugely judgemental pile-on that we always get nowadays. My inkling is that footballers will take pay cuts.
‘I think we need to be a little bit patient with them.’
The former England striker spoke out after Gary Neville accused Mr Hancock of having a ‘f***ing cheek’, tweeting in response: ‘Abso-bl**dy-lutely’.
Lineker spoke out after Gary Neville accused Mr Hancock of having a ‘f***ing cheek’ on Twitter (pictured), tweeting in response: ‘Abso-bl**dy-lutely’
Joey Barton also tweeted a defence of players today and said: ‘Herd Immunity? Boris and his cronies? NHS under funded and mismanaged for decades? That’ll be the Premier League footballers fault. Wake up! This is about shifting the focus away from the government handling this pandemic horrendously’.
Former Premier League player David Cotterill wrote: ‘2.5million millionaires in the UK! ‘512 players in the Premier League! YOU all want footballers to donate or take pay cuts during this? I agree. But there’s a lot more rich people out there. Soon as anything happens footballers become instant targets’.
But Tottenham’s Labour MP David Lammy sided with Mr Hancock and said: ‘It’s criminal that Premier League footballers haven’t moved more quickly to take pay cuts and deferrals. And completely wrong that taxpayers are now being asked to subsidise cleaners, caterers and security guards at these clubs instead’.
The Premier League, Football League, Barclays FA Women’s Super League, and FA Women’s Championship have been suspended indefinitely.
As exclusively revealed by Sportsmail, Manchester United became the first top-flight club to slash their salaries, sacrificing 30 per cent of their wages for one month with the understanding that it will go to hospitals and health centres throughout Manchester in the fight against coronavirus.
Similar moves are now set to be echoed across the league following Friday’s video conference involving all 20 clubs.
David de Gea of Manchester United earns £375,000 per week. Pictured: de Gea celebrating a 2-0 victory between Manchester United and Manchester City earlier this month
Arsenal player Mesut Ozil earns £300,000 per week
The Premier League said: ‘The restart date is under constant review with all stakeholders, as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic develops and we work together through this very challenging time.’
Top-flight chiefs also confirmed there will be a further meeting with the PFA on Saturday, in which they will continue to discuss matters relating to the coronavirus.
Shortly after the Premier League’s statement, the EFL released a comment of their own, in which they thanked the top flight.
It reads: ‘The EFL also notes and appreciates the decision taken today by the Premier League in respect of the short-term financial relief it is to provide EFL Clubs through the advancement of solidarity payments, parachute payments and Academy Grants.
‘These actions will have a positive impact on individual Clubs across our three divisions at a difficult and uncertain time.’
Manchester United became the first side in the Premier League to cut their players’ salaries
United captain Harry Maguire was addressed by chairman Ed Woodward about the proposal
Earlier, United’s big decision came an hour and a half into Friday’s crunch meeting, with Sportsmail revealing that the portion of players’ wages are going to be used to benefit hospitals and health centres throughout Manchester in the fight against the coronavirus.
Captain Harry Maguire was approached by chairman Ed Woodward about the idea. The England defender opened up the initiative to the rest of the senior squad, who are believed to have overwhelmingly agreed.
Heading into Friday’s discussion, there was much pressure being applied by fans, politicians and former professionals on players to take a hefty wage cut.
Clubs have come under heavy scrutiny for utilising the government’s furlough scheme for their non-playing staff, while still allowing their players to take home, in some cases, hundreds of thousands of pounds a week.
Eddie Howe became the first Premier League figure to take a significant cut to his wages earlier in the week, and the Bournemouth boss was followed by his Brighton counterpart Graham Potter shortly after.
Tottenham and Liverpool in particular have come under fire for their use of the furlough scheme, placing all of their 550 non-playing staff on it and leaving the government to foot the bill.
On Thursday, Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe was the first top-flight manager to take a pay-cut
Tottenham were slammed for not lowering the wages of their players, as it was revealed it would only need a 2.77 per cent cut of their pay to cover a £30,000-a-year wage for every one of the club’s 550 non-playing staff.
On the subject, the club’s former manager Harry Redknapp told The Sun: ‘I can’t believe it. Surely players should be taking a cut. This isn’t for big clubs like Tottenham.
‘I thought the Government were going to pay ordinary people who are struggling and help small businesses who are struggling. But you are talking here about a club where their players earn £10-12million a year.
‘Tottenham are owned by Joe Lewis, one of the richest men in the world, and his club are cutting the wages of all their non-football staff by 20 per cent. I can’t believe it.’
Gary Lineker, meanwhile, directed his anger towards the clubs rather than the players, insisting they had put their stars in an extremely difficult position by paying them in full while furloughing non-playing staff.
Speaking to Sky News, Lineker said: ‘It is now up to the players how they respond. Lets give them a chance to respond before this hugely judgemental pile-on we always get nowadays.
‘Footballers are always an easy target. I hate whataboutery but where are the big businessmen, where are the CEO’s of these enormous companies. What are they doing at the moment?
‘Nobody ever seems to care about them but footballers, who do an unbelievable amount of good in the community generally that never gets reported on, who do lots of things to raise awareness during these difficult times.
Wage cuts for players in the Premier League have finally been agreed following much criticism
The Premier League are giving the NHS £20million to help with the ongoing coronavirus crisis. Pictured: An ambulance outside the NHS Nightingale field hospital
‘So let’s wait and see and see where they go. I’ll be the first in a few weeks time to criticise them if they do nothing.’
The Premier League’s decision to wait and make a collective judgment came amid fears they could have lost their star names for free in the summer.
It was reported earlier in the week that the 20 Premier League clubs were worried about breaching their players’ contracts if they put their head above the parapet and made a decision regarding wage cuts without the agreement of the other clubs.
It was believed that players could then cite loss of earnings and break free from their contracts to leave for pastures new in the summer.
Although the Premier League have now taken action and will discuss 30 per cent cuts or deferrals, they are the last top European league to put plans in place.
Over in Spain this week, it has been a massive talking point, with Barcelona’s players taking a 70 per cent pay cut, as announced by Lionel Messi on his social media.
In the Bundesliga in Germany, both players and directors at Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have taken 20 per cent pay cuts, while Union Berlin – who sit 11th in the table – have agreed to go entirely without wages.
Gordon Taylor is the chief executive of the PFA and has been heavily criticised this week
Matt Hancock was quick to condemn top-flight footballers, but cuts have been agreed
Borussia Monchengladbach’s players were the first in the country to offer to forgo wages, while the league’s big four – Dortmund, Bayern, Leipzig and Leverkusen, have all ploughed £17.7m each into a fund to help the second tier clubs who will struggle more than them in the coming months.
In Italy, meanwhile, Juventus players have waived four months’ wages in a move that could see Cristiano Ronaldo give up over £9m of his money to help the cause.
Politicians like Sadiq Khan and Matt Hancock were quick to condemn Premier League footballers for their lack of action, but Gary Neville slammed the latter in a sweary rant.
He said: ‘I wish I was a player for 10 more mins. The PL players are more than likely working on a proposal to help clubs, communities and the NHS. It takes longer than 2 weeks to put together.
‘Matt Hancock calling them out when he can’t get tests in place for NHS staff is a f@@@@@g cheek!’