ROME, July 13: Inter Milan strikers Ronaldo, Christian Vieri and Alvaro Recoba, three of the world’s best paid footballers, have offered to take pay cuts to help their club through the financial crisis hitting Italian football.

Inter said on their official website that the idea of the cut, of between 5-10 percent, came from Italy international Vieri who called Brazilian World Cup winner Ronaldo who later contacted Recoba.

“We spoke to each other and decided to do something. A direct gesture, above all to make our president (Massimo Moratti) understand that we care about Inter, and we know what it means to do everything possible so that Inter can become stronger and bigger each year,” Vieri said.

“The president has supported us in every moment. And we wanted to make a concrete gesture, a gesture as Inter players.

“It doesn’t count how much, we won’t bring accountants into it. What is important is to take the initiative,” added the Italy striker.

The trio’s decision came a day after Italian sports newspapers, examining the growing debt problem in the game, published detailed lists of top players’ contracts and salaries.—Reuters