How Leeds United could set historic precedent as EFL and PFA hope to reach wage deferral deal

Club owners have warned that wage deferral scheme or players is integral to surviving current COVID-19 crisis... here we take a look at the key questions surrounding the meeting:

WHAT IS ON THE AGENDA AT THE MEETING?

On the agenda will be the suggestion of a collective agreement to cover all players from the Premier League to League Two.

However, the issue is thought to be a complex one with the varying levels of salaries involved.

Newcastle, Norwich and Tottenham and a high number of EFL clubs have announced that many non-playing staff have been furloughed in order to take up the benefits of the government financial scheme to preserve jobs.

A number of club owners and chairmen are warning that a wage deferral is inevitable if clubs are to get through the current situation and survive the financial burden.

HOW DID LEEDS UNITED POTENTIALLY SET A PRECEDENT?

Whites boss Marcelo Bielsa is already taking a temporary cut in wages to help ensure Leeds United can still be marching on together through the coronavirus pandemic.

The players have also taken cuts to wages after they, staff and management agreed to defer part of their salaries until the season kicks off again.

The move looks like it could set a precedent at today's meeting, with clubs looking to the EFL and Premier League to ensure wage deferrals for their players.

WHAT ARE THE PFA SAYING ABOUT THIS?

Professional Footballers' Association chief executive Gordon Taylor has warned any clubs imposing deferrals must be blocked from making signings until the resulting debts are settled.

Taylor told the PA news agency: "It's not a time to be relaxing regulations on financial propriety when we have already had problems with Football League clubs such as Bury.

"If a club is doing deferrals then the regulations state that they would be embargoed from signing any players."

WHAT ABOUT CONTRACTS THAT RUN OUT IN THE SUMMER?

FIFPRO officials have been part of working groups established by FIFA and UEFA to look into the consequences for players whose contracts generally run out on June 30.

And FIFPRO general secretary Jonas Baer-Hoffmann says while legal issues remain to be overcome, the "spirit" of existing contracts mean they ought to remain valid until the extended end of the current campaign.

"You could very much argue that the spirit of the contract is that it runs until the season is over and a new contract starts with a new season," said Hoffman.

"Nevertheless, there are legal obstacles with mandating such an extension which we're trying to manage as well as we can, but we are very concerned that we might end up in a situation where (clubs) pick and choose who is being retained for the last couple of months of the season and who is not."