Manchester City will have to pay £500,000-a-week to unwanted trio Joe Hart, Samir Nasri and Wilfried Bony unless they offload them this summer.
The enormous amounts of wages paid to more than 60 professionals at the club is becoming a concern to even the club's mega-rich Abu Dhabi owners, with director of football Txiki Begiristain under pressure to cut costs while allowing manager Pep Guardiola to bring in the new players he wants.
Nasri, the highest-paid of the trio at £160,000-a-week, is due to return to The Etihad Stadium for pre-season after spending a season on loan with Sevilla.