Saturday 18 April 2020 16:15, UK
Chelsea's players are in talks about taking a 10 per cent pay cut as part of their response to the coronavirus crisis.
Chelsea director Marina Granovskaia is holding discussions with captain Cesar Azpilicueta over the issue.
Top-flight players have come under pressure to accept pay cuts or deferrals during the pandemic, although the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) has not agreed to a 30 per cent wage cut proposed by the Premier League.
West Ham and Southampton players have agreed to defer a percentage of their wages, while Arsenal remain in talks with their first-team squad about how they can "support their club in an appropriate way".
Chelsea have been proactive in their efforts to help in the coronavirus pandemic. Owner Roman Abramovich has played a part in making the Millennium Hotel at Stamford Bridge available for NHS staff while the club are paying all casual staff this month.
Following a meeting of Premier League club officials on Friday, June 8 has emerged as the best-case scenario for when the season could restart.
Premier League clubs remain keen to finish the season, but the proposal of completing the campaign by June 30 was not raised in their meeting on Friday.
All top-flight clubs were represented on the video call, with the focus on different models for completing the season.
Clubs were shown different models for games restarting and being played in June, July and August, but the Premier League reiterated that the season will not resume until the government declares it is safe to do so.
Each club has either nine or 10 games left to play and it is thought all remaining matches could be played in a five-week period.
The government said on Thursday the lockdown would be in place for at least another three weeks, until May 7.
