THE introduction of a salary cap in the EFL could help safeguard the future of footballers, according to out-of-contract Kelvin Mellor as he remains optimistic of finding a club in “the new world” created by the coronavirus pandemic.

Mellor was one of 10 players who Bradford announced on May 26 were being released at the end of this month, having joined the Bantams on a two-year deal in the summer of 2018.

The West Yorkshire club’s season appears to be over, after League Two clubs indicated they wanted to cut short the season because of the cost of continuing behind closed doors. City were just outside the play-off places, having played 37 matches, when the campaign was suspended in March.

Clubs stretching themselves beyond their means has led to players being late to receive wages and, in the case of Bury, finding themselves without a club to play for at all.

“With a salary cap, you know you’re going to get paid on time and that’s a big thing in football,” Mellor told the PA news agency.

“Especially this year there have been a few clubs where it’s not been quite right. Fortunately it’s never happened to me and I don’t want it to, so a cap will be a good thing in that perspective.”

Mellor accepts the events of this year have created a buyer’s market, with an impact on player values and contract lengths, but is ready to embrace the “competition” of finding a new club.

“There are going to be a lot of players looking for clubs, but on the flipside there are going to be lots of clubs looking for players,” he said.

“If clubs have only got seven, eight retained, they’re going to need players.

“I think there will be a lot of opportunities.

“It is going to come down to the competition and who clubs fancy really.”