BBC SPORT | Football | Europe | Inter trio take pay cuts

Christian Vieri, Ronaldo and Alvaro Recoba have taken voluntary pay cuts to help cash-strapped Inter Milan.

The trio have all agreed to cuts of up to 10% in their salaries.

A combination of sky-high wages and shrinking revenue from television rights have put Italian clubs' budgets into a deep shade of red.

It doesn't count how much, we won't bring accountants into it. What is important is to take the initiative

Christian Vieri

The problems suffered by Italian clubs is reflected in the summer transfer market.

Italian clubs are traditionally among football's big-hitters, but most of the business done so far has involved swap deals.

Italian international Vieri made his voluntary pay cut public through Inter's website, adding that Recoba and Ronaldo had both agreed to follow suit.

"We contacted each other by phone and we decided to do something," Vieri said.

"It is a gesture to make our president Massimo Moratti understand that we care about Inter.

Alvaro Recoba is Italy's highest-paid player
Recoba is prepared to take a cut in Italy's biggest salary

"We know what it means to do everything possible so that Inter can become stronger and bigger each year.

"The president has supported us in every moment and we wanted to make a concrete gesture as Inter players.

"It doesn't count how much, we won't bring accountants into it. What is important is to take the initiative."

Perugia stop Ahn's wages

Uruguay international Recoba is Italy's highest-paid player, reportedly earning an annual salary of �5.5m, with Vieri and Ronaldo both pocketing �4.1m a year.

Adriano Galliani, newly elected president of the Italian football federation and managing director of Inter's rivals AC Milan, suggested a 20% salary cut in players salaries was needed to help the growing crisis facing Italian clubs.


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