Cristiano Ronaldo's Man Utd pay cut – and footballers overtaking him on rich list

dailystar.co.uk:

Cristiano Ronaldo is set to face a big pay cut due to Manchester United's abysmal league form.The Red Devils were destroyed over the weekend as their defence opened up against Brighton, and the south coast upstarts banged in four goalsA dumbfounded Ronaldo, with his United future in doubt, was seen laughing in disbelief as his side wilted in the face of pressure from the Seagulls.The Portuguese veteran may not be laughing at his paycheck soon, thanks to a reported contract clause that means he will face a hefty pay cut in the near future.The contract reportedly states that if United fail to qualify for the Champions League, some players will receive a whopping 25% slash to their pay.It means the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's weekly wage may drop from £385,000 a week down to a measly £288,000.

This would put him below some of the league's best players.According to reports, Cristiano Ronaldo earns roughly £385,000 a week at Manchester United, amounting to well over £20 million every year.The astronomical sum was a huge pay cut from the £500,000 a week he was on at Italian champions Juventus, as Ronaldo decided to return to the team where he first shot to global recognition as one of the world's best footballing talents.Reports by the Mail indicate Ronaldo will be able to negotiate his pay cut, set to drop him down to £288,000 every seven days in its current form.The clause is there to protect the club against a loss of revenue due to not qualifying for the Champions League, as the 20-time league champions currently flounder in sixth place, with the risk of falling behind David Moyes' West Ham.The wage itself is unlikely to upset Ronaldo financially, with Wealthy Gorilla estimating him to have a net worth of £400.