Hull City's head of football operations Adam Pearson has reiterated his claim that Town are paying around £20,000 of loanee Jimmy Bullard’s £45,000 weekly wage. Bullard, who scored on his debut for the Blues in last night's 2-1 victory at Derby, is at Portman Road for the remainder of the season.
Pearson says Town are paying £321,480 towards the 32-year-old’s salary: "We're getting nearly £20,000 a week and it's a £320,000 contribution.
"People may sniff at that but in the Championship that's an awful lot of money and more than pays for the three or four players we've brought in."
Sources at Town continue to insist that they are paying a weekly share nearer the £10,000 mark originally reported, although no official confirmation is likely with the Blues rarely if ever making comment on individual players’ earnings.
If Town are paying £20,000-a-week towards Bullard's salary, it would almost certainly mean that the Blues' share of his wages is higher than anyone is currently being paid at Portman Road.
Pearson, who revealed the figures in the programme for Hull's 2-2 draw with Leeds last night, says Bullard’s contract, signed during the Tigers’ time in the Premier League when he moved from Fulham for £5 million, makes up around a fifth of his planned budget for next season: "Jimmy is an undoubted talented player who has two-and-a-half years left at this club.
"His contract alone is 21 per cent of our total playing wage budget for next season so we hope he comes back in the summer match fit and that he's ready to go."
Photo: ITFC