Arsenal on Monday announced a 12.5% salary cut for their players and staff due to the loss incurred by the novel Coronavirus. The wage cut will come into effect from April.
“We are pleased to announce that we have reached a voluntary agreement with our first-team players, head coach and core coaching staff to help support the club at this critical time,” the Gunners said in a statement on their official website.
“Reductions of total annual earnings by 12.5 per cent will come into effect this month, with the contractual paperwork being completed in the coming days. If we meet specific targets in the seasons ahead, primarily linked to success on the pitch, the club will repay agreed amounts.
“We are proud and grateful to our players and staff for pulling together to support our club, our people and our community in these unprecedented times which are some of the most challenging we have faced in our history,” it added.
The Gunners had endured a loss of 27 million pounds for the 2018-19 season and are likely to experience a more hefty deficit this season as the United Kingdom remains under lockdown to contain the deadly novel coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the Premier League have extended the suspension of the 2019/20 season beyond May and said it “will only return when it is safe and appropriate to do so” amid the deadly outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.