Revealed: Newcastle United reach £40m agreement after player dispute
The majority of Newcastle United players agreed to cut their bonus payments by 40 per cent this summer, sources have told Football Insider.
The Magpies held talks with their first-team squad this summer over reducing the bonus payments included in their contracts by former owner Mike Ashley.
Newcastle were forced to pay huge sums to players as a result of their successful 2022/23 season which saw them finish fourth in the Premier League and reach a League Cup final.
Newcastle’s bonuses last season included a £20million payout to players if they had won the FA Cup.
It is understood that Premier League bonuses forced the club to pay players around £20million for their Champions League qualification, taking the total possible bonus payouts to over £40million last season.
However, amid concerns that huge bonus payments would cause FFP problems at the club, the Newcastle board asked players to alter their contracts and decrease bonus payments.
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Players were told that their decisions would be taken into consideration when discussing future contracts, and Football Insider has been told by sources that a large majority of Newcastle’s squad agreed to the cuts.
The squad is still set to be paid well if they replicate their success last season and qualify for the Champions League, but their bonuses last season were understood to be some of the largest in the Premier League.
Manager Eddie Howe has previously spoken about the club’s dispute with players over the summer.
“Yes, there have been discussions between the club and players on bonuses and we hope to reach a swift conclusion,” Howe said prior to Newcastle’s season opener against Aston Villa.
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