Everton have moved to protect themselves against some of the financial consequences of relegation by inserting mandatory wage cuts into recently negotiated player contracts and denying release clauses to their most sought-after stars.
Jarrad Branthwaite and Jordan Pickford do not have release clauses, which will enable Everton to auction them off to the highest bidder if they are relegated, while the majority of players who remain will be forced to take pay cuts.
Pickford does not have a mandatory wage-cut clause in the deal he signed last season as Everton reasoned their goalkeeper would demand a transfer if they went down.