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Southampton Defer Player Salaries
Southampton have become the first Premier League club to announce their players will defer a percentage of their salaries amid the coronavirus epidemic.
Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl and his staff, as well as the board of directors, will also adopt the measure until June.
Premier League clubs previously said they would ask their players to take a 30% pay-cut in order to protect jobs but the Professional Footballers’ Association said that would hit tax contributions to the NHS.
Southampton have also said they will not be using the government’s furlough scheme during April, May and June and all staff not deferring their salaries will “continue to receive 100% of their pay”.
The club say the actions of the players, coaches and directors in deferring their salary will “help protect the future of the club, the staff that work within it and the community we serve”.
It is not known when Premier League football will return, with every major league in the world closed down because of the virus.
Players have been negotiating on a club-by-club basis over a proposed wage-cut after talks aimed at a collective pay deal broke down last weekend.
West Ham United are also hoping players will join their Southampton counterparts in taking a 30% salary deferral.
/Stewart Sports news editor
