Premier League players set to launch coronavirus fund to help NHS
Written by News on 03/04/2020
Senior players at Premier League clubs are involved in discussions to organise a coronavirus crisis fund to support the NHS.
Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and team-mate James Milner are heavily involved with organising the fund, which could run into millions of pounds of charitable donations.
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Conversations between club captains and senior players remain ongoing but an announcement could be made as early as Friday afternoon once the principles of the fund are agreed upon.
The move comes amid increased focus on footballers’ pay as some clubs have furloughed non-playing staff, while health secretary Matt Hancock called for Premier League stars to “play their part” and take a pay cut or deferral.
The Premier League announced on Friday clubs have unanimously agreed to consult their players regarding a 30 per cent wage cut, which would be achieved through a “combination of conditional reductions and deferrals”.
The Premier League, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and club representatives will hold a meeting on Saturday to discuss the proposals.
The PFA has accepted players must “share the financial burden” to mitigate the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
However, in a letter seen by Sky Sports News, the union has warned players against taking a pay cut or deferring their wages until they have seen the clubs’ finances.
(c) Sky Sports 2020: Premier League players set to launch coronavirus fund to help NHS
