Lucas Neill has angered the West Ham United board by demanding a pay rise to stay at Upton Park. The West Ham captain is already one of the highest-paid players at the club, on £70,000 a week, but wants improved terms for a further two years to sign an extension to a contract that runs out in the summer.

Neill rejected a £40,000-a-week offer from Liverpool when leaving Blackburn Rovers to sign for West Ham two years ago while insisting his decision was not motivated by money, a claim seemingly at odds with his latest actions. The 30-year-old’s representatives attempted to open negotiations on a new contract last summer without making any progress, but were finally granted a meeting this week.

West Ham were stunned to learn of the player’s demands for a pay rise in the midst of their financial crisis and rejected them flatly, with Neill likely to be forced to accept a huge pay cut if he wants to stay at the club. The former Blackburn and Millwall right back will be offered no more than £30,000 a week and if he rejects the terms be allowed to leave on a free transfer next summer.

The Australia defender could even be sold in next month’s transfer window if West Ham receive a suitable offer, with the club certain to offload players to raise funds in the light of the financial problems of their owner, Björgólfur Gudmundsson, after the collapse of the Icelandic economy. Gianfranco Zola’s priority is to keep hold of key players such as Robert Green and Matthew Upson as he braces himself for a relegation battle, but the manager is happy to sell fringe players such as Hayden Mullins, Danny Gabbidon and Luís Boa Morte. As club captain and a regular starter, Neill does not fall into that category, but with just six months remaining on his contract, West Ham could be tempted to cash in rather than lose him for nothing in the summer.

Neill wants to earn one more lucrative contract before returning to Australia to play for Western Sydney, who are in the process of applying for an A-League licence.