Brighton and Hove Albion’s club captain Lewis Dunk and vice-captain Glenn Murray are in talks with bosses over a coronavirus pay cut.
Veteran striker Murray said that the talks had helped him learn about how the current crisis had affected Albion.
Murray, 36, said: “As far and me and Lewis are concerned it’s been a bit of an eye-opener but it’s been really good.
“The talks that we’ve had with Paul Barber and Dan Ashworth have been very positive. It’s bringing the club together even more.”
Albion’s head coach Graham Potter, chief executive Paul Barber and technical director Dan Ashworth have already agreed to take a pay cut for three months. The amounts involved have not been revealed.
Dunk, 28, a former Varndean School pupil, is understood to earn more than £2.3 million a year – or about £454,000 a week before tax. Meanwhile, Murray is reputed to be paid more than £1.5 million a year – or about £30,000 a week.
Murray said that the current suspension of the Premier League season had shown players from all clubs coming together as a collective.
He said: “Footballers are always in the community and trying to help. There will always be rivalry in football for the fans but during these sorts of times everyone comes together.
“As players, it’s always been the case that you’ll come across somebody who knows someone or maybe an individual you’ve played with at a previous club.
“At the moment everything that’s happened has brought us closer together, at all clubs.”
Murray also praised the work that the club was doing in the local community, saying: “The club has always prided itself on the work it does in the community, certainly all the time that I’ve been here.
“The club has come on leaps and bounds in recent years and we’ve maintained that connection with the local area.”
Paul Barber said: “They have been very helpful and very understanding of the situation our club is facing. We will see where that gets us but at the same time respect that players have contracts which are guaranteed. We are just trying to find a way through that which suits everyone.
“We have been very transparent with them about the club’s finances, which is something the PFA (Professional Footballers’ Association) have requested.
“We were already forecasting to lose quite a large amount of money during the 2019-20 season. And the crisis, however it will unfold, will no doubt create even greater losses.
“They can see that if they did make a contribution, how much that would go towards supporting the jobs of their colleagues in the club. I know they support and value those people very much.
£2.3m per year is not £454k per week – you need a new calculator!😎