The PFA also said that the Premier League could increase its 20 million-Pound figure that would go to charitable causes to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.
Liverpool's Brazilian midfielder Roberto Firmino heads home the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Leicester City and Liverpool at King Power Stadium in Leicester, central England on December 26, 2019. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
The Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) in the United Kingdom has questioned the Premier League’s decision to ask players to take a 30% cut in their wages considering the financial stress that every club is undergoing at the moment.
The Premier League clubs had earlier informed that they would ask players to take a combination of pay cuts and deferrals amounting to 30 percent of their salary to recover some of the losses they are incurring due to no football amid the COVID-19 lockdown.
The PFA has countered the Premier League’s decision by saying that it could have a determining effect on the tax contribution from the players which in turn might hurt the UK’s fight against the deadly novel coronavirus.
Advertisement
“The proposed 30 per cent salary deduction over a 12-month period equates to over 500m pound in wage reductions and a loss in tax contributions of over 200m pound to the government. What effect does this loss of earning to the government mean for the NHS? Was this considered in the Premier League proposal and did the Health Secretary, Matt Hancock factor this in when asking players to take a salary cut?” said the PFA in its statement on Sunday.
“It is our priority to finalise the precise details of our commitment as soon as possible. However, to achieve a collective position for all Premier League players – of which there are many different financial and contractual circumstances from club-to-club – will take a bit more time,” the statement further read.
The PFA also said that the Premier League could increase its 20 million-Pound figure that would go to charitable causes. It also said that a way has to be found for money to go into the lower tiers of English football and non-league football in the long term.
(With IANS inputs)
Advertisement
