Maguire warns of major issues facing Cats’ out-of-contract stars
League One and Two salary caps should have Sunderland’s soon-to-be out-of-contract players fearing for their futures.
That's the verdict of football’s leading finance expert Kieran Maguire, who has outlined the brutal reality facing those players in the final months of their contracts.
Third and fourth-tier clubs voted in favour of ‘Squad Salary Caps’ last August - much to the displeasure of Sunderland – who openly voted against it.
It was agreed to bring in a £2.5million per-year wage restriction, a colossal decrease on the Wearsiders’ previous wage bill, which stood at around £10million before the start of last season, though thereisagraceperiodforclubs.
So for example, any players who signed contracts before the salary cap was voted in during the early weeks of August saw their wages counted at the League One average of around £91,000 per year for the 2020/21 season.
The Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) criticised the EFL for "rushing through" the vote.
Staying within budget will undoubtedlyhaveasignificant impact at the Stadium of Light this summer with a staggering 19 players out-of-contract.
Lee Johnson will have to boxcleverwhendecidingwhat players to retain, which could ultimately be dictated by the Black Cats’ severely restricted wage budget.
Indeed, with Championship
clubs set to reject an £18million salary cap, promotion to the second-tier would erase those restrictions, however that is in the balance with Johnson’s men currently ninth in League One.
Here are the Sunderland players out-of-contract this summer:
Over 21: Lee Burge, Remi Matthews,LukeO’Nien,Conor McLaughlin, Jordan Willis,
Denver Hume, Max Power, JoshScowen,GrantLeadbitter, Aiden McGeady, Chris Maguire, Charlie Wyke, Danny Graham and Callum McFadzean.
Under 21: Anthony Patterson, Brandon Taylor, Elliot Embleton, Jack Diamond and Benjamin Kimpioka.
Maguire explained exactly how the salary cap could impact those out-of-contract players at Sunderland and across League One.
He said: “Sunderland are still attractive to those players whoarecomingoutofcontract.
“You’ve also got to ask yourself, where else are those playersgoingtogo?Becauseunless aChampionshipclubcomesin for them, then they’ve only got LeagueOneandTwotolookat.
"Do you actually want to uproot your family just for the hell of it if Sunderland
come back and offer around £120,000-£130,000-ayear, that would appear to be the broad wage limit. I know it’s a squad limit rather than a player limit.
“I think the other issue for those players if they are comingoutofcontract,ifthey’re27, 28 or 29 etc, I’d be absolutely breaking myself.
“Undersalarycaprules,Under-21 players don’t seem to count towards it, therefore the ownersandmanagersmightbe saying ‘well we could offer a bit more money to younger players coming in’ who they could potentially sell on.
“TheU21sdon’tcount,soan experiencedplayercomingout of contract is in an absolutely terribleposition.Hemightfind himself unwanted or having to takeahugepaycuttoultimately keep in employment.”