Eddie Howe: Bournemouth manager becomes first Premier League boss to take coronavirus pay cut

Eddie Howe has become the first Premier League manager to take a voluntary pay cut as Bournemouth became the fourth top-flight club to begin furloughing staff.

A club statement released on Wednesday afternoon announced that Howe, chief executive Neill Blake, first team technical director Richard Hughes and assistant manager Jason Tindall had taken “significant” reductions in pay by choice.

Bournemouth also revealed that “a number of staff” across the club have been told that they will be temporarily furloughed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Furloughed staff will continue to receive their full salary, with the club "topping up" salaries after claiming 80 per cent of wages up to £2,500 under the government's job retention scheme.

“These measures have been taken to safeguard the financial stability of the club during what is such an uncertain period, not only in football but for businesses in all industries across the world,” the statement read.

Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur and Norwich City have already announced that they will begin to furlough non-playing staff.

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