Chelsea stars ‘agree 10 per cent pay cut after showdown WhatsApp chat’

Chelsea players have agreed to take a 10 per cent pay cut to ease the club's financial concerns during the coronavirus crisis.

The Blues' skipper Cesar Azpilicueta was at the centre of showdown discussions between the stars over WhatsApp, where they reached the agreement.

Azpilicueta then sent a text on behalf of the group to confirm the cut, which will save Chelsea £10million over its four-month duration.

All Chelsea players were swift to respond to Azpilicueta's initial message proposing the cut – which will run right through summer to September – and well full receptive of the decision.

This follows on from manager Frank Lampard volunteering to have 25 per cent of his salary docked going forward to aid the effort – a £1.25m saving on his £5m-per-year deal.

The Sun report that Chelsea's stars were not interested in arranging any clauses with regards to earning the money back through such things like achieving Champions League qualifications.

Similar stipulations have held up crucial talks between players and club at Arsenal.

Negotiations between Chelsea chiefs and the players are believed to have been more hospitable.

That has been helped largely by director Marina Granovskaia's decision to take a 25 per cent pay cut as well, in line with Lampard's.

In addition, the players understood a need to make savings after Chelsea posted a £96m financial loss in their latest reports

However as with concerns at Arsenal, Chelsea's players want assurances the club will not use the saving to fund new arrivals in the transfer market.

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