Leicester City Manager Claudio Ranieri and his players "are five points away from landing a substantial bonus" after the team's "remarkable rise to the top of the Premier League," according to John Percy of the London TELEGRAPH.
Ranieri and his squad "are the story of the season so far and already in line for a huge windfall after agreeing a heavily incentivised bonus scheme before a ball was kicked."
Last season, Leicester’s players shared a £5M bonus "after defying the odds to avoid relegation and it is understood a similar amount will be paid out at the end of the season, dependent on their finishing place." Ranieri "was also promised a lucrative reward based on performance" and Leicester is now emerging as a surprise contender for the title. No bonuses "were put in place for finishing in Europe, as this season has been well beyond expectations already," though its final position will influence the amount players and manager receive (TELEGRAPH, 12/15). In London, Jack De Menezes wrote Ranieri could be in line for a £1.7M ($2.5M) end-of-season bonus "due to a clause in his contract." The clause claims to net Ranieri £100,000 ($150,000) for every place he finishes above 18th, meaning if the Premier League finishes now "he would net" a £1.7M bonus payment on top of his weekly salary. Ranieri "even joked that he had considered winning the league when he took the job at the King Power Stadium following Nigel Pearson’s dismissal in the summer, and claimed he did not know if the players had a clause in their contracts to reward a Premier League title victory." Ranieri: "I don't know if there is a clause and I don't tell you. They made a mistake if they didn't arrange it. I considered if I win the league" (INDEPENDENT, 12/16).
