Man Utd introduce 'Ronaldo rule' to cap first-team salaries

Manchester United are looking to realign their wage structure by ensuring no player earns more than £200,000-a-week.

The Red Devils have long been associated with needlessly handing out over-inflated contracts, while they have consistently had the highest wage bill in the Premier League in recent years despite a lack of on-pitch success.

However, bosses at Old Trafford are looking to change this perception and have introduced new financial measures in regards to player salaries, according to the Daily Mail.

United will now cap weekly wages at £200,000-a-week in order to ensure all members of the first team are paid more equally. It’s a change that has been internally dubbed as the ‘Ronaldo rule’, referencing the club’s previous willingness to hand out huge contracts to ‘big brand players’.

The rule has now come into effect and the club’s top earners – including Raphael Varane, Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and captain Harry Maguire – are now all in the same pay bracket, believed to be between £180,000 and £200,000-a-week.

This rule is also set to have an impact on contract negotiations with David de Gea, who was previously taking home £375,000-a-week. The Spaniard’s deal is up in the summer and has been offered fresh terms in line with United’s realigned top earners.

Such a drastic policy could have drawbacks, however, with the Mail adding United now face a bigger challenge trying to tie the in-form Marcus Rashford down to a new deal. His contract is up in 2024 and PSG are interested in his signature.