Top-four finish or take a £14m hit, United stars told

Manchester United’s players will be forced to take a pay cut next season if they do not qualify for the Champions League, The Times can reveal.

The players and coaching staff stand to lose about £14 million if they fail to finish in the top four of the Barclays Premier League this season. That works out at about £500,000 per player.

Ultimate guide to the Premier League (only available to website readers)

Louis van Gaal, the United manager, heads to Tottenham Hotspur tomorrow knowing that defeat will leave his team four points adrift of the Champions League places if, as