UK health secretary Matt Hancock said Premier League footballers should take a pay cut and play their part during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Given the sacrifices many people are making, the first thing PL footballers can do is make a contribution,” he said at the daily government briefing.
Even the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) said players will have to share the financial burden.
“We are aware of the public sentiment that the players should pay non-playing staff’s salaries. However, our current position is that – as businesses – if clubs can afford to pay their players and staff, they should.
“The players we have spoken to recognise that the non-playing staff are a vital part of their club and they do not want to see club staff furloughed unfairly.
“Any use of the government’s support schemes without genuine financial need is detrimental to the wider society.
“In instances where clubs have the resources to pay all staff, the benefit of players paying non-playing staff salaries will only serve the business of the club’s shareholders.
“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.”
Julian Knight, a chair of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee has been asking Premier League chief executive Richard Masters calling for action on player wages, saying clubs which furlough non-playing staff but do not impose cuts on player wages should be subjected to a windfall tax if they do not change approach.
“The purpose of the coronavirus job retention scheme is not to support the economics of Premier League clubs.
Tottenham, Newcastle, Bournemouth and Norwich have opted to utilise the government’s job retention scheme.
Players, coaches and executive staff at Norwich have donated £200,000, made up of a percentage of their salaries, to help local people affected by the pandemic.
In Europe, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid players have taken a 70% pay cut, while Juventus players and manager Maurizio Sarri have agreed to freeze their pay for four months.
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe became the first Premier League boss to take a voluntary pay cut.
Brighton chief executive Paul Barber, technical director Dan Ashworth and head coach Graham Potter have each taken a “significant” voluntary pay cut.