Newcastle’s players will share bonuses of £1million if they win the club’s first trophy in 48 years in the Carabao Cup final against Manchester United on Sunday.
The squad’s bonus pool is 10 times the amount Newcastle will receive from the EFL in prize money for winning the trophy, but the club’s owners are happy to reward the players for what would be a historic achievement.
The bonuses will be split amongst Eddie Howe’s players using a complex formula involving both matches and minutes played in this season’s competition.
The manager will also receive a bonus stipulated in his contract if he succeeds in leading Newcastle to their first domestic trophy since winning the FA Cup in 1955.
The bonuses were agreed in talks between Newcastle and the players last summer in a speedier and more amicable fashion than was often the case under previous owner Mike Ashley.
Ahead of both the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons Newcastle’s players became embroiled in a lengthy stand-off with Ashley over bonus payments, which led to some of them receiving to fulfil club-mandated media commitments until the owner backed down.
The EFL prize money on offer this weekend is relatively meagre, with the winners receiving £100,000 and runners-up £50,000. FA Cup winners in contrast get prize money of £2m.
Loris Karius will also be eligible for a bonus, despite only making his first ever appearance for Newcastle in the final following a September arrival as a free agent.
He is set to feature for the Magpies after Nick Pope’s red card against Liverpool, with Marcin Dubravka cup-tied having featured for Manchester United already and Karl Darlow on loan at Championship side Hull.