Southampton have become the first Premier League team to announce an agreement with their players over wage deferral during the coronavirus crisis.

The Saints announced measures to help the club and non-playing staff through the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Southampton's players, manager Ralph Hasenhuttl and his coaching staff have agreed to defer part of their salaries for the months of April, May and June "to help protect the future of the club, the staff that work within it and the community we serve".

Part of the club's official statement read: "Southampton Football Club has agreed to put in place the following measures as part of its ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic.

"In keeping with government advice, all activity at Staplewood Campus, St Mary’s Stadium and our other sites continue to be suspended except for essential activities. This situation will be reviewed at the end of April.

"In addition, the board of directors, the first-team manager, his coaching staff and the first-team squad have agreed to defer part of their salaries for the months of April, May and June to help protect the future of the club, the staff that work within it and the community we serve.

"Furthermore, the club can confirm that it will not use the government’s Job Retention Scheme during April, May and June. Our owners, Mr. Gao and Katharina Liebherr, have put measures in place to ensure that all staff not deferring part of their salaries will continue to receive 100% of their pay, paid in the normal way until 30th June. Any decision on the future beyond this date will be made in advance of this, but only when more information is known."

#SaintsFC can detail measures it is taking as part of the club’s ongoing response to the coronavirus pandemic: https://t.co/1pMnaqFQMS

— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) April 9, 2020

- TEAMtalk media