Player wage bills at the Premier League's elite clubs have spiralled over the past two years amid warnings of a £1billion loss in revenue because of Covid-19.
A study by Deloitte found wages at Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea as a percentage of club revenue rose sharply last season as part of a £1.7billion outlay on wages by the 'big six'.
The figures also indicate that eight Premier League clubs recorded wage to revenue ratios of 70 per cent or more - the warning threshold used by UEFA in its Financial Fair Play rules.