Premier League clubs plan to unload players to pay wages amid pay cut clash

Premier League clubs fear having to unload players to meet salaries, with no end in sight in the row of salary cuts.

It raises the possibility of transfer chaos, a situation made worse by some stars capable of pulling out of their deals when they expire in late June.

Clubs are reviewing their squads as they reflect on ways to make sure they have the funds to cover wages.

Today, many English clubs pay salaries equal to about 75 percent of their income.

With no football and no agreed salary cuts, your only other option is to consider sacrificing players.

At least four Premier League teams face the prospect. But even then they might find themselves out of pocket with clubs that fear having to sell at a huge discount.

Premier League clubs fear they will not succeed in trying to get players to take salary deferrals.

The proposal presented by the top flight to its 20 member clubs last weekend was a 30 percent salary deferral if the season is abandoned and a ten percent deferment if the season continues behind closed doors.

So far, only Southampton has agreed to a postponement with ongoing talks at other clubs.

Even if an agreement is reached, some clubs fear that the savings may not be enough to protect them in the long term.

Given the financial implications of not finishing the season, there is a determination to complete the 2019/20 campaign once football receives the go-ahead to resume.

However, should it happen after June, several high-level teams are concerned that they would not have influential stars.

Willian, Olivier Giroud and Pedro’s Chelsea trio would be out of contract, as would Jan Vertonghen from Tottenham, Ryan Fraser from Bournemouth and Adam Lallana from Liverpool.

A club source said: “Even if they agreed to stay for a month or two, where is the money to pay for them? If you play against a team that has lost two or three players, you could have a real advantage. It’s not fair. We wouldn’t finish the season with the team we named in January. “

Prominent sports lawyer Nick De Marco has claimed that stars without a contract in England can ignore FIFA’s pleas and resign their clubs in late June, even if the season has not restarted.

FIFA has called for the contracts to be “extended until the season really ends.” But De Marco insists that the recommendation is inapplicable under English labor law.

“Legally, they cannot be forced to continue playing for the club,” he told Sky Sports News.

“No one can compel them to do so; FIFA, FA, club or any other person. If they want to get away, it’s a matter for them, but it really will be a matter of whether, financially, that makes sense to them. “

Brighton Chief Executive Paul Barber said: “Lawyers will be busy for a long, long time due to almost every contract in every part of the game, from regulations to player contracts and sponsor contracts.

“It is very difficult to go beyond June 30.”