Chelsea are in talks with Frank Lampard and his coaching staff over a wage cut during the coronavirus pandemic to help ease concerns over cash flow amid the stoppage in European football.
The discussions with Lampard and his team have progressed quickly and are likely to result in a cut of around 25% for him and his coaching team, which features the likes of Jody Morris, Joe Edwards and Hilario.
Lampard earns around £4 million a year, having signed on a three- year deal in the summer to return to the club.
The Blues are yet to announce any resolution to talks over the wage cuts for their staff with captain Cesar Azpilicueta leading ongoing discussions over a 10% drop in their earnings. It is hoped that the move could save the club up to £10m.
Blues director Marina Granovskaia is leading the talks on the club side, with the Premier League having recommended players take a 30% cut to ease the financial pressures of the crisis.
The idea of such a big cut has not proven popular with players of many clubs who have begun the #PlayersTogether charity to channel their funds directly to the National Health Service’s (NHS) frontline. This situation has left clubs needing to negotiate their own wage decreases or deferrals in payments to players.
Chelsea continue to pay their non-playing staff their full salaries and have moved their work online wherever possible to try to continue as normal as possible. Those who can’t work over the internet include the match-day staff at Stamford Bridge, but they have been assured their full wage for April, despite most matches not taking place this month.
The Blues have also been proactive in other ways as they look to pitch in during the crisis, providing 78,000 meals to the NHS and charities that support the elderly and vulnerable groups as well as making the Millennium Hotel at Stamford Bridge available to the NHS.
Chelsea’s negotiations are taking place as cross-town rivals Arsenal also negotiate a wage cut with their players, with Goal reporting that a deal is drawing closer.
Gunners players had initially rejected a proposal which would have seen them take a 12-month pay cut of 12.5%.
The Premier League remains in hiatus, with matches last played in mid-March and fears growing that the 2019-20 season will not be able to be completed. Premier League clubs and league authorities met on Friday, though, and reiterated their desire to finish the season.
‘It remains our objective to complete the 2019-20 season but at this stage, all dates are tentative while the impact of Covid-19 develops,’ an FA spokesman said.