Sony, have a massive interest in keeping the One Direction together. The band’s global success has helped Sony Music UK to pre-tax profits up 128 per cent on last year. Sales of the group’s smash-hit second album are not even included in that.

The band which includes Liam Payne, Harry Styles, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan and Louis Tomlinson have reportedly signed a contract that means that if one member leaves the group before the end of their contract the rest of the members will miss out financially.

“It’s a really clever contract that the boys have signed up to. It means they have a real incentive to tough it out and stick together,” a source tells The Sun.

A source close to the band told me: “It’s a really clever contract that the boys have signed up to. It means they have a real incentive to tough it out and stick together.

“The formal length is for 36 months and an album a year — but the clever part is they get the big pay day after the three years.

“If one of them walks away before then, then all five miss out on the money.

“They don’t miss out on a few quid either, we are talking millions.

“They all get on really well, but it would be the kind of deal that would see them through the worst aggro possible.”