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Alderweireld's agent disagrees with cutting footballers' pay

Tottenham defender Toby Alderweireld's agent, Stijn Francis, believes it's not right to cut footballers' wages.

The Premier League want players to take a 30% pay cut to help a business which looks set to lose £1 billion if this season is cancelled, but Stijn Francis argues that if footballers sign contracts that restrict their movements then those contracts should be honoured.

Since this article was published, footballers have come together to launch their own charity initiative.

Francis wrote in The Guardian: "Most clubs in Europe are asking all staff (including players) to accept a substantial wage reduction. Some non-playing staff have been put on furlough. For players there are several reasons why such wage reductions are not acceptable.

"One reason is the principle of contractual stability. This is one of the essential foundations of modern football and ensures that contracts are respected by both parties to the fullest extent possible. This principle of contractual stability separates the situation of a football player from that of any other worker.

"A regular worker is able to leave his or her employer in exchange for limited compensation or a notice period. Also the employer can terminate the relationship with the worker at any time by respecting a period of notice or paying compensation. If clubs sign a player they take a risk by paying a transfer or signing-on fee and by paying substantial wages.

"In exchange for this risk, players cannot leave the club before the end of the contract except when all involved parties agree otherwise. Players also know that during the contractual term they can be sure the club will pay their salary.

"Clubs now asking to reduce player salaries undermine this principle of contractual stability. If clubs insist on a wage reduction, players should be put in the same situation as any regular worker. Clubs reducing their players' wages should accept that the players can terminate their employment for free and these clubs should no longer be able to ask a transfer fee if the player would like to leave."

- TEAMtalk media

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