Watford captain Troy Deeney has slammed the idea of women footballers being paid the same as men, saying it doesn't make business sense.

He referred to match attendances and shirt sales as examples of the gulf between the men's and women's game.

While the 31-year-old said he does watch the women's game, he added that he looks at things from an entirely business perspective when it comes to pay.

The striker said: "I don't mind women's football. I am of the business understanding though, when people say 'it should be equal pay'.

"If the business makes sense, it does. So you look at KSI and Logan [Paul], should they be making the same money as Anthony Joshua for a boxing match? No, but the business side of it says they do," he told GiveMeSport.

"How many women's football matches are selling out week in, week out, 20,000 plus? They're not. So you can't have equal pay if there's not equal money. So that's just logical business.  

"But in terms of, do I sit and watch women's football? Yeah. Should they be getting paid the same as Neymar? No, because business-wise, you're not selling shirts like him and you're not packing out stadiums like him.

Deeney was asked if he could name five players on the England women's team - something he said he couldn't do.

The star said: "Nope, and wouldn't even try. Do you think equal pay would make that happen? And do you think they should be entitled to equal pay when I don't even know who they are?"

Deeney, whose club is currently bottom of the Premier League, said women needed to continue progressing their game.

He added: "Again, keep speaking about it, it's the only way you're going to get change. You can't sit back and expect change without talking about it.

"Say if we were talking about racism, it's in the same bubble. If you're the owner of the club making millions of pounds you're not going to turn around go, 'here you go, here's some money for nothing'."