English Premier League to push for wage cut, gives £125m to lower leagues

Premier League clubs in England will consult with their players over a 30 percent reduction in wages.

Also, they have voted to provide 125 million pounds to Football League and National League teams to help with cash flow problems caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

The League said in a statement on Friday that its clubs “unanimously agreed to consult their players regarding a combination of conditional reductions and deferrals amounting to 30 percent of total annual remuneration.”

The Premier League also said it was “committing 20 million pounds to support the NHS (National Health Service), communities, families and vulnerable groups during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This includes a direct financial contribution to the NHS and funds to enable clubs to refocus their efforts and develop significant outreach programmes to help communities, including those most in need.”

The Premier League also said play would not resume, as once hoped, at the beginning of May and that the 2019/2020 season would only return when it is “safe and appropriate to do so”.

The league has been in talks with the players’ union, the PFA, about wage reductions and deferrals but there was no immediate sign of a deal.

Less than 24 hours after Health Minister Matt Hancock said players should take a pay cut and “play their part” in the national effort to tackle the pandemic, two moves also emerged from the players themselves.

Manchester United captain Harry Maguire asked his team mates to donate 30 percent of their salaries to local hospitals and was given backing by the squad.

England defender Maguire was among the 20 Premier League captains who took part in a call on Thursday evening.

The call was to discuss a collective response and donation with plans now expected to be developed.

The Football League (EFL) consists of the 72 professional clubs in the three divisions below the Premier League.

It said the cash the clubs would receive from the top flight includes solidarity payments, parachute payments and Academy Grants.