Mark Clattenburg to be paid £500,000-a-year TAX FREE along with other benefits after quitting Prem for Saudi Arabia
The Prem's top ref will double his earnings after growing tired of his employer's lack of support
MARK CLATTENBURG will trouser £500,000- a-year after waving goodbye to the Premier League and heading for Saudi Arabia.
And that's along with an inviting benefits package that go with the job.
The Prem’s top official, who turned down a £1million -year deal from China, blew full-time on his top-flight career after growing disillusioned with refs’ bosses — as exclusively revealed in Thursday’s SunSport.
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He will draw his tax free salary as head of referees for the Saudi Arabia Football Federation — doubling his earnings.
Clattenburg's decision to quit the Premier League is down to the lack of support from his employers, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited.
He is said to be particularly upset at the way he was dealt with following the 2012 incident between himself and then-Chelsea midfielders Juan Mata and John Obi Mikel.
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Reports claimed that Chelsea had alleged that Clattenburg called Mata "a Spanish t..." and Mikel "a monkey" during a fiery clash against Manchester United.
An FA investigation cleared the official of any wrongdoing but Clattenburg has always felt that he should have received more support during that turbulent point in his career, according to Keith Hackett, former general manager of the PGMOB.
And SunSport’s whistleblower Mark Halsey says current refs' chief Mike Riley is also to blame.
He said: “It’s disturbing that it has come to this. Why is our best referee leaving the Premier League?
“The blame lies firmly with Mike Riley. Mark was totally disillusioned with Mike and his management team. He felt there was a lack of support.
“The problem with Mike is everyone is scared of him — he surrounds himself with yes men.
“Match officials are so unhappy with what is going on because there is a lack of leadership, man-management and direction from the top.”