Sheffield United players agree to partial wage deferrals

"This announcement follows positive and constructive discussions throughout the club, “ announced Bettis. “I am pleased that we have reached an agreement with our first-team players, manager and backroom staff to help support the club.

"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 that they care about Sheffield United.

"The players should be commended, not only for this action, but also for their role in the #Playerstogether initiative with other Premier League clubs."

It is two-and-a-half weeks since the Premier League recommended its clubs negotiate 30 per cent wage deferrals with its players, but it has proved extremely difficult.

With suspicions about who would benefit from a deferral at some clubs, the players were quick to set up their own charity – Players Together – to give them greater control over where their money went.

Southampton, West Ham United and Watford are the only other Premier League squads to have agreed deferrals so far, and not on that scale. Arsenal's players have gone further and accepted a 12.5 per cent cut.

That has caused disquiet amongst public and politicians, particularly when some clubs are furloughing non-playing staff.

There have been some calls for a transfer embargo to be imposed on those clubs that have deferred wages.

The Premier League is the world's richest domestic league, but few clubs sit on big financial reserves.

Were the season to be abandoned – something the league is anxious to avoid – it has been estimated the Blades would lose around £40m in television and matchday revenue. Once it became clear they would be in line for bigger-than-expected prize money in 2019-20, the board sanctioned the club record £22m signing of Sander Berge.

The Blades are one of a number of top-flight clubs to furlough non-playing staff, but the only one to have said they are considering funding the entire coast themselves, rather than rely on the Government. Either way, they have promised those put on leave will be paid 100 per cent of the wages, not just the 80 per cent guaranteed to those using Westminster's Job Retention Scheme.

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