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Manchester City Used To Pay One Of Their Players Less Than Minimum Wage

Manchester City Used To Pay One Of Their Players Less Than Minimum Wage

He would have earned more at McDonalds.

Ryan Sidle

Ryan Sidle

These days it's mad to think that any player at Manchester City would be earning anything less than £5000 a week, even if they're a 15 year old who isn't expected to make it, but once upon a time one quite high profile signing wasn't even on minimum wage.

In this era of Pep Guardiola, Sergio Aguero and academy facilities the envy of most of the footballing world it's easy to forget the much more humble beginning that the blue half of Manchester came from.

Back when the club were managed by Stuart Pearce things were a lot different. The former England under 21 boss infamously played David James as an emergency striker and also refused to spend £2 million on a very young Theo Walcott as he couldn't afford that much on a player who wouldn't play.

And in 2006 the club's finances were noticeably stretched with Pearce signing former Ajax full back Hatem Trabelsi on a pay as you play deal. According to Footy Leaks, via the Sun, the Tunisian picked up £15,000 per match he played but nothing if he didn't appear.

According to the leak the Premier League side were contacted by the old Department for Employment and told to cancel the then 29 year old's deal because it was worked out that he was only earning £5.35 an hour, less than minimum wage, for his 20 appearances in a City shirt.

Arsenal were linked with the player whilst he was in Holland but his injuries prevented him from making a big move until Pearce took a gamble on the very cheap free transfer.

Having scored a goal against Manchester United, Trabelsi is virtually a legend for the sky blues, even if he was barely earning enough to travel to work!

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