Gary Neville: ‘Ban clubs from buying anyone if they have furloughed staff or cut players’ wages’

Gary Neville has claimed any Premier League clubs who have furloughed staff or cut players’ wages must be subject of a transfer ban this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United are controversially among the high profile sides who have taken up the scheme from the government which helps businesses pay 80 per cent of staff wages during the financial crisis amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Spurs are looking to raise funds this summer and could do so by selling Harry Kane for a world record £200m, with Manchester United in the hunt for the striker. 

But Neville claims any side looking to capitalise on such a windfall by rebuilding their team should be banned from doing so having pleaded poverty to all their staff on and off the pitch in regards to paying wages.

Neville said on Sky Sports: ‘What I would say in the bigger picture, these transfer discussions, Kane for £200m, Sancho for £100m, big-money signings completely undermines the discussions they are having with players.

‘If you are having a 30 per cent pay cut across the board and you are talking about spending a billion on players, you may have to put a transfer embargo in place. It is very difficult for players to see a transfer for £200m a few weeks later.

‘It doesn’t feel right to me. There is no smoke without fire, I would suggest the Premier League stop this and put a transfer embargo in place on all clubs that are trying to reduce their wages. Players are having their wools pulled over their eyes by clubs.’

More to follow…