Players and clubs lack common ground in wage-cut talks

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester United v Watford - Old Trafford, Manchester, Britain - February 23, 2020 General view of a match ball held by Manchester United's David de Gea during the warm up before the match Action Images via Reuters/Lee Smith

MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) - With the best paid footballers in the world, billionaire club owners, under-pressure politicians and even a millionaire trade union leader involved, it is perhaps hardly surprising that talks on a blanket wage cut in the world's richest league have yet to reach an amicable conclusion.

But what is worrying for those hoping to find an end to the deadlock in negotiations is that the two main sides -- the clubs and the players, appear to be talking about two entirely separate issues.