Wage Caps?

Premiership's top clubs set £100,000 limit on wages

Exclusive

Jamie Jackson
Sunday March 11, 2007

Observer

Frank Lampard and Cristiano Ronaldo have 'no chance' of receiving the massive pay increases they are demanding from Chelsea and Manchester United. That is what they will be told this week by Peter Kenyon and David Gill, the chief executives of their clubs.

Given the value of both men to their teams - Lampard was voted the world's second-best player last year and Ronaldo is 'currently the best player in the world', according to Sir Alex Ferguson - the decisions signal a sea change in attitudes to players' wages, which, in some cases, have spiralled to more than £100,000 a week.

A senior executive at one the Premiership's 'big four' clubs told Observer Sport last night: 'There has been no formal discussion between clubs about this, but when speaking generally with other executives I sense there is certainly a feeling of "no more on player wages, otherwise where will they stop?" In negotiations, we now have an element where player representatives point to the new TV deal as if it is more money for the pot to pay player wages. That is not going to happen.'

A senior source at Old Trafford said: 'There is currently a big fight going on between Ronaldo and United. He wants around £120,000 a week, but the club will not go above £100,000. He will stay, but there is a lot of trouble ahead.' The Portugal winger is thought to be on £60,000 a week in a deal that ends in 2010.

Lampard will also be frustrated in his demands. 'He has no chance of getting what he wants,' an insider claimed. 'He will not be offered more than £100,000. That's final. He will have to take what Chelsea offer, end of story.'

It is further evidence of Roman Abramovich's new stance over Chelsea's finances. After sanctioning the £130,000...#8209;a-week wages for summer signings Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack, the billionaire owner refused to pay inflated fees in the January transfer window and, with negotiations with John Terry also having stalled, is taking a hard line over players' salaries. Lampard signed a five-year deal in 2004, but under European Union employment law he can buy himself out of the contract from May.

Steve Kutner, Lampard's agent, described the Chelsea insider's statements as 'preposterous'.

'We haven't been made an offer yet,' said Kutner. 'But £100,000 is absolutely ridiculous because Frank is on way more than that already. I've had discussions with Peter [Kenyon] and we know where we want to go. Chelsea want Frank to stay for the next five years and so do we. I certainly haven't given the club any parameters - we are waiting.'

Lampard, 28, is thought to earn closer to £80,000 a week rather than the £100,000-plus claimed by Kutner. And it is unlikely that he or Ronaldo will be able to attract higher wages in Europe. Barcelona have never been extravagant payers and Real Madrid's galactico days are behind them. They are the only two clubs that could feasibly top the wages paid in England.

There has been speculation that Lampard is heading for Barca in the summer. His wife is from the region and the Catalan club were thought to be interested. But a Barcelona executive confirmed to Observer Sport that they will not target the midfielder. 'The club is not interested in Lampard, no way,' he said.