Out-of-contract Portsmouth stars warned 'massive' pay cuts needed - or leave Fratton Park

Jack Whatmough, Tom Naylor, Craig MacGillivray, Ryan Williams, Andy Cannon and Ben Close are among the high-profile first-team players whose deals expire next summer.

However, while Kenny Jackett is keen to retain talented members of his playing squad, current regulations prevent the Blues matching existing pay levels.

For the purpose of the salary cap, all players signed before this season are regarded at the average wage of around £1,750 per week.

Yet a fresh deal will be recognised on true financial terms.

Unless the PFA can triumph in attempts to intervene, many Pompey out-of-contract players will have to accept a large drop – or leave.

Mark Catlin told The News: ‘With a lot of our players, their salaries are way outside the cap and, in many instances, they are not keen to take significant pay cuts to extend their current deal with us.

‘There is an impasse which is not of our own making.

‘We have to wait and see how the arbitration works out between the EFL and PFA on this because we really can't move at the moment outside the salary cap.

‘They are the rules we have to abide by in regards to offering contract extensions. The players know that.

‘Understandably, no-one is keen to sign at the moment. They would rather wait and see what the outcome of the arbitration is. That could take place in the next month or two.

‘We have total sympathy with the players on this. We are fighting hard to ensure that existing contracted players are taken outside of the salary cap.

‘Whereas at the moment they are treated at the divisional average, signing a new deal takes them outside of that. So we are completely handcuffed in what we can offer them.

‘We have agreed with them there is no pressure at the moment. We are not going to force them to take a pay cut to extend – and I know they’re not going to sign that anyway.

‘On the whole, they are just not prepared to take massive pay cuts to fall under the salary cap rules.’

Catlin insists the Blues lost out on transfer targets this summer following the salary cap’s introduction.

And he believes members of the current squad may even opt to move abroad to maximise earning potential which has been severely impacted.

Pompey’s chief executive added: ‘I believe we lost potential players in the summer as a result of the salary cap and trying to plan around that.

‘Targets specifically decided to go to other countries, even Scotland, because they are allowed to offer figures more than we could because of the salary cap.

‘It's a short career for them. Logically they are going to be looking for the best deal that they can.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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