England manager Sarina Wiegman has said the English Football Association (FA) are going in the right direction over player bonuses and was surprised to hear of a reported stalemate between the governing body and the players.
According to the Guardian, the Lionesses are at an "impasse" with the FA, as the squad are yet to "agree to the terms they have been offered" for defending their European crown this summer in Switzerland.
The players are said to be disappointed, asking for an increase on their £55,000 ($71,200) bonus from winning Euro 2022, believing their bonuses fall below that of other top European sides.
"I was a bit surprised about the [Guardian] article," Wiegman told a news conference on Tuesday.
"I think that the FA and the players are in conversation about that. From my view, what I've heard from it -- and I'm not involved in those conversation -- is we're going in the right direction. And I hope we keep going and we get to an agreement very quickly because that brings calmness before a tournament."
England had a similar issue ahead of the 2023 World Cup when the governing body initially refused to pay performance-related bonuses.
Negotiations were paused on the eve of the tournament due to concerns they were a distraction, with a resolution -- the FA agreeing to pay the bonuses -- only coming once the team returned home from Australia.
The Guardian stated that talks are still ongoing, with captain Leah Williamson and Chelsea duo Millie Bright and Lucy Bronze leading discussions, alongside the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA).
