Arsenal ‘tell players they can avoid wage cuts if they qualify for Champions League’

Arsenal have offered their players no wage cut should the club qualify for next season’s Champions League as a number of Premier League clubs continue their stand off with players over salary cuts.

The Gunners are five points adrift of fifth-placed Manchester United, which would be enough to ensure qualification for European football’s top club competition due to Manchester City being suspended from the competition.

Given that the north London club have looked unlikely to qualify for the competition all season, The Telegraph reports that the proposal was a ‘non-starter’ among the playing squad. 

Arsenal have told their players they will avoid wage cuts if they qualify for Champions League

The club is expected to be hit financially by the suspension of football due to the coronavirus

Premier League clubs are at a standstill with their players over wage cuts, with the Professional Footballers’ Association advising players not to accept proposed cuts. 

The PFA has suggested that players should only take wage deferrals and a number of clubs have agreed to such deferrals including West Ham and Southampton. 

Josh Kroenke, son of owner Stan, said the squad was on a Champions League wage with a Europa League budget

The proposals are said to have been a non-starter among the playing squad when discussed

Arsenal’s presence in Europe next season is in doubt with Mikel Arteta’s side outsiders to even qualify for the Europa League. 

The club is believed to fork out £230million a year on players’ wages, a figure Josh Kroenke, the son of owner Stan, described as ‘a Champions League wage bill on a Europa League budget’. 

In February, the Premier League club reported losses of £27.1million. With 25 per cent of the club’s revenue coming via matchday income, the suspension of football in England is expected to have a huge financial impact on the club. 

It is not yet known whether the Premier League will resume, with efforts being made to salvage the season amid the coronavirus crisis.