Sunderland players are set to have their wages cut in half should they be relegated from the Premier League this season following a dreadful start to the campaign.
The Black Cats are yet to win a single game from eight matches this season, and remain rooted to the bottom of the top flight, with manager David Moyes under an increasing amount of pressure to deliver results quickly.
And according to theDaily Mail, the Wearside club will ensure that their players are paid a significantly less amount should they be playing in the championship next season - cutting their wages by 50 per cent.
This is thanks to a recently added relegation clause in all of the players/ contracts, with the board insisting that should they go down, they will not be pulled into a financial meltdown, looking to stabilise with the players they already have and plot a straight return to the Premier League.
Jermain Defoe believes Sunderland have "gone backwards" under David Moyes. Read here: https://t.co/jumznh7BSQ pic.twitter.com/M716N3t0aq
However, it has also been reported that in order to avoid a possible drop into the second division, Moyes is planning a big clear out in the January transfer window, as well as bringing in some new faces, with the board prepared to back the Scotsman and his transfer strategy.
Since their last relegation to the Championship in 2006, the club have endured nine straight seasons in the top flight of English football, and Moyes will be hoping he can make it 10 with what already looks like being a great escape following the worst possible start.