Former England and Leicester City striker Gary Lineker is poised to sign a new contract with the BBC to continue as host of Match of the Day - but he will take an estimated £500,000 pay cut, a newspaper has reported.
The report states that Lineker, 52, will now earn around £1.5 million a year - a 25 per cent reduction - as he is one of several of the Corporation's stars to be asked to accept a lower salary.
In return he will be the BBC's face of its flagship football show and present its coverage of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and beyond.
Mr Lineker's £2 million-a-year deal expires in the summer and his representatives are confident an extension will be agreed shortly, the report suggests.
Lineker has received offers from the United States - the biggest from Fox Soccer before they lost Premier League rights to NBC - but the once-a-week Match of the Day commitment fits neatly into his schedule.
The former Leicester City, Spurs and Barcelona striker married his second wife Danielle Bux three years ago.
Lineker's Match of the Day colleague Alan Hansen reportedly also agreed a £500,000 pay cut last year. Alan Shearer and Mark Lawrenson also faced salary reductions when they discuss new deals.
Hansen's pay had been the subject of controversy after it was revealed he was earning £1.5million a year for his comments - around £40,000 per show.
