Get the FREE Mirror Football newsletter by email with the day's key headlines and transfer news Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

Premier League players are in full scale revolt over proposals to bring in drastic pay cuts.

They have set up a captains Whats App group and all 20 are being urged to stand strong together, reject the plans and not break rank after one club skipper branded them “disgusting.”

Mirror Sport understands the players are absolutely committed and willing to make big financial sacrifices - but want their money to go to charities and not straight back to wealthy club owners.

And a huge bone of contention is how it is being done because different clubs are going direct to players, asking them to renegotiate contracts - and trying to bully them into signing up.

Mirror Sport has been told one club with wealthy owners has asked every player to cut their salary by ten per cent over the entire length of their contract while another suggested players reduce their wages by 50 per cent during the crisis.

(Image: Getty Images)

The Premier League are adamant now that the limit for cuts and deferrals is 30 per cent over a maximum of 12 months to be reviewed on a monthly basis which was agreed by the 20 clubs on Friday. It is understood there is now a commitment from every chief executive and chairman to agree to the same cuts.

One club executive told Mirror Sport: “Not every club is owned by a billionaire and if they don’t accept some sort of compromise then clubs will go bust. It’s as simple as that.”

But there is genuine anger among the captains and frustration that they are being painted as the bad guys when the reality is they are fully committed to setting up their own charity foundation.

(Image: REUTERS)

They have also seen huge clubs like Liverpool and Tottenham who make huge profits put staff on the Government furlough scheme.

The Premier League captains were told the scale of the financial crisis during a video conference call on Saturday featuring Premier League executive Bill Bush, Professional Footballers’ Association chief Gordon Taylor, managers and club chief executives.

The brutal realities facing the clubs was spelt out with clubs expected to lose up to £1.1billion from £762m in TV cash which would have to be repaid, £200m in match day income, £175m in sponsorship deals and wage cuts and deferrals could help save £570m.

However, it is understood that no concrete proposals were given to the captains to take back to their dressing rooms which are already in uproar after being told by their clubs to accept wildly different cuts.

The captains then had their own meeting among themselves - and it was then they all rallied support to stand strong and together to reject the plans. Each club will put forward their own proposals to players but up a maximum of 30 per cent.

All the captains have now spoken again to their clubs, told them Sunday is a family day, they will then discuss the proposals in further detail on Monday - but it is understood they are determined to say no.

It leaves the Premier League’s proposals in tatters amid the uncertainty of the coronavirus.