Football
Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FC 4y

Coronavirus: Some Premier League players unhappy with donation plans - sources

Premier League footballers involved in the #PlayersTogether initiative are attempting to persuade teammates to donate 30% of their monthly salary to the NHS Charities Trust (NHSCT), sources have told ESPN, but some players are unhappy with the terms. 

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Despite the widespread backing of the campaign, which was announced via the social media accounts of leading players on Wednesday, sources have said that a number of players do not agree with the figure and the expectation that all should fall in line and make the same donation.

A group of senior players, including Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson and his Manchester United counterpart Harry Maguire, instigated discussions via text message last week in an effort to formulate a plan for Premier League players to make a financial sacrifice to help frontline workers during the coronavirus crisis.

Sources have told ESPN the discussions had been taking place prior to comments made last Thursday by Matt Hancock, the UK Secretary of State of Health, that Premier League stars should "take a pay cut and play their part" at a time when vast numbers of the population had been forced to do the same in order to save their jobs.

Premier League clubs and the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) remain in talks over a proposed league-wide 30% pay deferral of top flight players, but the footballers have attempted to take initiative by launching the #PlayersTogether campaign.

But sources have told ESPN that, while footballers throughout the Premier League accept the financial difficulties being faced by many, there is some resistance to the suggestion that all players donate 30% of their monthly pay to the NHSCT.

"Not all the players agree with the figure," a source told ESPN. "They are discussing it among themselves, but some players don't want it."

It is understood that some players are keen to make their own choices in terms of how much they donate and the recipients of any financial gesture.

Sources have told ESPN that some foreign players already make sizeable charitable donations in their respective countries and communities and wish to continue to have the personal choice to do so.

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