Blackburn Rovers chairman John Williams has revealed he will attempt to lower the club's wage bill this summer but insists that Sam Allardyce is happy with the cost-cutting measure.
Though Rovers registered a healthy wages/turnover ratio in accounts recently published for season 2007/08, Williams is wary of the need to guard Rovers' long-term security.
Williams does not envisage sale of key players, suggesting instead that Rovers will not replace the more peripheral members of the first-team squad, the Aaron Mokoenas, Carlos Villanuevas and Danny Simpsons, all of whom have left the club upon the expiry of their contracts.
"A number of players are leaving and are not essential to replace, so that will go a long way to doing it," Williams told BBC Radio Lancashire.
"We've not got a bottomless pot of money and to make sense of the numbers it [wage bill] will have to be reduced.
"We budgeted for a wage rise this year but that wasn't enough when you change manager and buy players in January.
"The total extent of the wage bill was higher than we thought and coupled with the lower league position it was difficult for us financially.”
Williams admits the expected sale of Roque Santa Cruz will determine whether or not Allardyce has more significant funds to spend.
"Sam [Allardyce] understands the financial position and a lot depends on whether Roque goes.
"We have already spent a substantial amount of money going forward by converting the option we negotiated with Gael Givet."
Rovers, meanwhile, have signed 16-year-old goalkeeper Nikos Giannakopoulos from Asteras Tripolis.
The Greek club will receive €60,000 (£52,000) for the deal and also 30 per cent of any future sell-on.