Football players in England's Premier League will together be paid over £1 billion in the 2007/08 season, a report predicts.
Consultancy firm Deloitte Sports Business claims the unprecedented wage increase comes despite a fall in the percentage of clubs' turnover taken up by wages to 62 per cent.
New broadcasting rights deals and other revenue increases are set to drive turnover upwards to £1.8 billion, enabling profitability to nearly double to £260 million.
Paul Rawnsley, director in Deloitte's Sports Business group, said a move towards performance related pay structures made good business sense for Premiership clubs.
"This will both insulate the business in future when on-pitch results are not so good, and also help motivate and reward players and management for winning," he explained.
"We also hope and expect to see a further enhancement of the clubs' level of investment in supporter and community schemes in the future," Mr Rawnsley added.
The Deloitte report also portrays English football as being extremely important within the European game.
It says English football made up a quarter of the total revenue of the European market in 2006 and that Premiership clubs' operating profitability is increasing its lead over its nearest rivals in Italy's Serie A.
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