LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 21: A detailed view of a corner flag prior to the Premier League match between Chelsea FC and Arsenal FC at Stamford Bridge on January 21, 2020 in London, United Kingdom.
Malang Sarr has not played a single minute for Chelsea this season but is among the highest earners at Stamford Bridge, with even top-scorer Cole Palmer trailing the centre-back
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – MAY 15: Christopher Nkunku of Chelsea celebrates scoring his team’s second goal with teammates during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea FC at American Express Community Stadium on May 15, 2024 in Brighton, England.
Chelsea’s squad wage bill includes several surprise.
Forgotten Chelsea defender Malang Saar earns more than Cole Palmer and Thiago Silva.
The Blues’ approach to squad building has come under intense scrutiny since Todd Boehly took over in the summer of 2022.
The American owner has faced a barrage of criticism for splashing out over £1billion on players, which was largely seen as reckless until Chelsea’s late-season surge for a European spot.
Part of Boehly’s strategy involves signing young players to long-term contracts while keeping their wages relatively low. That has resulted in a rather odd-looking wage bill for the current squad, especially given some of the salaries of players signed before or at the start of his reign.
The pay packets of several key players currently do not necessarily reflect their importance to the team. According to Spotrac, top scorer Palmer earns just £75,000 per week, putting him in the middle of the pack in terms of earnings.
Cole Palmer made his feelings clear about Mauricio Pochettino’s departure from Chelsea. this summer
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Palmer’s salary more accurately reflects his condition before the move £42.5million from Manchester City this summer, unlike his 22-year-old League this season, which has made him a key part of Chelsea’s rebuild and brought him into the contest for the Golden Boot, as reported by Football London.
The 22 year old’s annual earnings of £3.9m are roughly on par with other youngsters signed during the Boehly era to six, seven, eight, and even nine-year contracts, such as Axel Disasi (£4.1m), Benoit Badiashile (£4.7m) and Nicolas Jackson (£3.4m).
There is a stark contrast between these players and the likes of Ben Chilwell, who was signed in 2020 and earns around £10.4m per year.
Chilwell, with his £200,000-per-week salary, takes home nearly double what veteran defender Silva manages (£5.7m per year), despite the departing Brazilian being hailed as the Blues’ top defender.
Even more surprising is that defender Sarr is Chelsea’s ninth highest earner. The 25-year-old centre back has only made eight league appearances since he was signed in 2020, and has not played a single minute this season under Mauricio Pochettino.
