Premier League Wants Players To Take 30% Wage Cut As Coronavirus Hits Finances

Clubs in the English Premier League will ask their players to agree to a 30% salary cut to protect other jobs in the sport.

At a Premier League Shareholders meeting today, the world’s wealthiest soccer league discussed a range of measures in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Reducing player wages was one item on the agenda.

“In the face of substantial and continuing losses for the 2019/20 season since the suspension of matches began, and to protect employment throughout the professional game, Premier League clubs unanimously agreed to consult their players regarding a combination of conditional reductions and deferrals amounting to 30 per cent of total annual remuneration,” the Premier League said in a statement.

“This guidance will be kept under constant review as circumstances change.”

The Premier League will join a meeting tomorrow with club representatives and the powerful Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA). The PFA has been wary of clubs putting players under “significant pressure” to sign off changes to their contracts, but has indicated its members are willing to make sacrifices.

“We fully accept that players will have to be flexible and share the financial burden of the COVID-19 outbreak in order to secure the long-term future of their own club and indeed the wider game. Our advice going out to players at this point reflects that expectation,” the PFA said in a statement published yesterday.

In the UK, players and clubs have come under fire for not yet taking a pay cut. Health secretary Matt Hancock specifically called out Premier League players, asking them to “take a pay cut and play their part”. Several Premier League clubs have asked their non-playing staff to take pay cuts or placed them on temporary leave.

The captains of all 20 Premier League clubs have spoken about a plan to donate a “seriously significant” amount to a charity or the National Health Service (NHS), BBC Sport reported.

At its meeting, the Premier League also committed to “advance funds” of £125 million ($153m) to the English Football League and National League. The financial relief could prove crucial, as some clubs lower down the professional playing pyramid struggle to survive. An additional £20 million ($24.4m) will be donated by the Premier League to the NHS.

Several top European clubs have already agreed wage cuts with their players. Barcelona players, for example, will see a 70% dip in their salaries.

“We are going to also make contributions so that all the club’s employees can earn 100% of their salaries for as long as this situation lasts,” said captain Lionel Messi, who could lose $50 million from the measure.

Other clubs that have agreed deals include Juventus, where players will be on reduced wages for four months.

Any agreement between Premier League clubs and the PFA will have to be carefully negotiated. No one knows when matches will resume and both sides will be conscious of the perception of wealthy clubs and players shirking responsibility.

While a date for the competition restarting remains anyone’s guess, Premier League shareholders ruled out the beginning of May while reiterating a commitment to finishing the season.

“Any return to play will only be with the full support of government and when medical guidance allows,” their statement said.

“It was acknowledged that the Premier League will not resume at the beginning of May – and that the 2019-20 season will only return when it is safe and appropriate to do so.”