With English clubs owing an estimated £3billion, Football Association chairman Lord Triesman warned a salary cap may need to be enforced. Bolton chairman Phil Gartside raised the idea of a salary cap to safeguard clubs' finances and now Triesman admits those measures may need to be carried out as he looks to resolve the game's financial problems.

"The reason I made the point about the 12 per cent per annum growth in wages is because some of the money is flowing through the clubs inevitably, including some of the money that is in their debt package is in wages," Triesman told Sky Sports News.

"I will be told in no doubt, if you want to compete at the highest levels you have got to be competitive in the wages market as well.

"I just make the point there is a volume of debt which becomes very significant in those circumstances and people need to think about it.

"I am told by people right through the football pyramid, down in the leagues in the Blue Square Premier for example, below the Football League that the issues of working with agents, trying to deal with wages right through the system is now impacted.

"This is like a waterfall, the water is reaching right down to the ground-level.

Asked if a salary cap needs to be introduced, Triesman said: "People in the clubs are the only ones who will be able to judge that.

"I start with the general proposition that we have in this business, as in so many other businesses, we have a level of debt which should cause us to stop, think and review where we are."