BBC SPORT | EUROPE | Salary cap moves closer

The spiralling cost of players' wages could see Europe's leading clubs move closer to introducing a salary cap.

Uefa's executive committee is expected to agree a licensing system to ensure good governance by clubs when it meets next week.

And Italian, German and Spanish clubs are keen to incorporate salary capping into the system to restrict all European leagues to a common framework.

With television revenue expected to decline in the near future, even the giants of the European game are struggling to keep pace with the current level of players' salaries.

Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti predicts tough times ahead for Europe's top clubs.
Lazio president Cragnotti wants a salary cap
"It is clear that a growing number of clubs in Europe are facing major financial challenges and are interested in some sort of system to contain the overall level of salaries," said Uefa spokesman Mike Lee.

"Many clubs that have been taking part in our working party on the club licensing system feel that it gives us a framework to help address some of the issues over salary capping."

Any new Uefa licensing system would not come into force before 2004.

Most top clubs spend over 80% of their turnover on wages, and the G14 group of Europe's most powerful clubs agreed in principle to a salary cap two weeks ago.

Lazio president Sergio Cragnotti has already proposed such a measure for the Rome club.

"I believe that there will be some news because I believe that the world of football must be restructured," he said.

"We are now in a situation where revenues are being dried up by costs."


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