NEWS ROUND-UP: UEFA yesterday gave their support to proposals by G14, the group of Europe's most powerful clubs, to introduce salary caps for players, but will not attempt to introduce the system across the continent.
G14, the 14-club grouping which includes Manchester United and Liverpool, will discuss proposals to introduce a cap - which would limit members to spending a percentage of their income on salaries - at a meeting in August.
UEFA communications director Mike Lee said the European governing body supported the plans but could not introduce such a scheme themselves.
He said yesterday: "We support moves to tackle the spiralling costs within European football but UEFA cannot simply legislate in this field. The initiative has to come from the clubs themselves.
"We have made clear that we will support moves such as this and we can see a strong link with our new club licensing system as we move forward." G14 met at Ibrox on Tuesday and agreed in principle on the idea of a salary cap.
The proposals will see a limit put in place, setting a maximum percentage of income which can be spent on salaries.
Thomas Kurth, G14's general manager, said Manchester United would not be affected by the plans because their resources are big enough to cover their wage bill. Kurth said: "The plan is aimed at reducing costs and will be perfected on August 30th in Monaco.
"The first idea is that the amount available for expenditure will be limited ratio-wise. That means a certain percentage only of the money available should be spent on salaries. This concept should be applicable to those who have financial problems. Those who are in the black, I think do not need us to regulate them.
"It's a maximum percentage of the money available which should be spent on players' costs. At this stage Manchester United are far underneath this limit." Kurth claimed the group had been forced into action following serious cash-flow problems to hit a number of clubs throughout Europe.
He added: "At the moment we are aware that there are problems in Italian football and French football and I think those who have a highly negative balance will be the first to welcome such a scheme.
"We have received agreement on the principle, we are now working out proposals for the end of August and then we will see what the reaction is."
However, the Premier League and the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) were both sceptical about whether a wage limit would work in practice.
Premier League spokesman Philip French said: "Our position is that if someone could produce a working model in which a salary cap could be imposed then of course we would looks at it. However, we remain sceptical that any such model exists."
Gordon Taylor, PFA chief executive and president of the international players' union FIFPRO, described G14's proposals as "impossible to implement".
He said: "I'll believe when I see it. It does not have the authority of UEFA and FIFA, and would be little more than a gentleman's agreement - and there are too few gentlemen around."
FIFA president Sepp Blatter does not think a salary cap is the answer and believes clubs should control their own spending.
Blatter, in Glasgow for last night's Champions League final, said: "I think this is a matter for clubs, football organisations, to decide and study.
"In my opinion, I think football should not intervene with economics."
