Arsenal announce pay cuts for players, coaching staff

Arsenal's players and coaching staff have agreed a 12.5% salary cut due to the COVID-19 pandemic, making the London-based club the first in the Premier League to announce such a measure.

Several Premier League clubs have furloughed employees since the new coronavirus outbreak while others, such as West Ham United and Southampton, have said their players have accepted wage deferrals.

League leaders Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Bournemouth reversed decisions to furlough non-playing staff following criticism.

"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," Arsenal said in a statement.

"Reductions of total annual earnings by 12.5% will come into effect this month, with the contractual paperwork being completed in the coming days."

Arsenal added that "agreed amounts" would be repaid if specific targets primarily linked to success on the pitch were met in the seasons ahead.

The club said the agreement with players was based on the assumption of the 2019/20 season being completed and the club receiving its full share of broadcasting revenues.

"The resulting savings will help cover some of the financial risks we have this season in relation to our matchday and commercial income," the club added.

Arsenal were ninth in the league table, eight points adrift of fourth place which guarantees qualification to the lucrative Champions League, when soccer in England was suspended indefinitely last month due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

Sheffield United players agree to defer wages due to COVID-19 pandemic

Sheffield United's players have agreed to defer part of their salaries and bonuses until the end of the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Premier League club said in a statement on Tuesday.

The players join manager Chris Wilder, his senior coaching staff and CEO Stephen Bettis, who agreed on Monday to defer part of their pay and bonuses for six months due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.

"The entire professional playing staff... (have accepted)... a partial pay deferral, plus bonus payments, until the end of 2020," the Blades said in a statement.

"I am pleased that we have reached an agreement with our first-team players, manager and backroom staff to help support the club," United CEO Bettis said.

"It is a difficult period for everyone, but our football club also needs to be taken care of and I'm delighted that the players want to mirror the gesture of Chris and the staff by contributing, it confirms they care about Sheffield United."

The Blades won promotion from the Championship (second-tier) last season and were seventh in the Premier League table when soccer in England was suspended indefinitely last month due to the coronavirus outbreak.