Chelsea must sell £50m star who earns more than Sesko & Olise combined
Chelsea are wasting no time this summer, with their preparations for next season well underway. Mauricio Pochettino has already been replaced by Enzo Maresca, and Tosin Adarabioyo is all but confirmed to have become a Blue following a free transfer from Fulham.
However, Todd Boehly will have to spend a lot more on his next few targets, with Michael Olise and Benjamin Sesko both highly regarded. However, the American will also need to axe a few players and there’s one that actually earns more than Olise and Sesko combined.
What Chelsea paid for Ben Chilwell
Just like new Chelsea boss Maresca, Ben Chilwell truly made a name for himself at Leicester City before making the switch to Stamford Bridge. The left-back impressed over his 27 starts in the 2019/20 season, scoring three goals, picking up three assists, and keeping nine clean sheets in the process. That summer, Chelsea came knocking and secured his services for £50m, signing a five-year deal that has since been extended until 2027.
Initially, Chilwell was extremely influential, once again starting 27 Premier League matches in his debut campaign, boasting an increased output of three goals and five assists. However, he’s unfortunately not progressed much since, with his future now uncertain at the club.
What Ben Chilwell earns at Chelsea
Last season, the England international made just nine starts in the Premier League, with injury issues being a frequent problem. In total, the left-back missed 30 games across all competitions, and unfortunately, his future role in the starting lineup isn’t guaranteed. With Maresca being appointed, Chilwell must be fearing for his place in the team, given the Italian’s system doesn’t utilise a left-back in typical fashion.
In possession, the left back often tucks in to form a back three, with the right back inverting into midfield. This means that the 44-year-old often prefers a dynamic centre-back in the position, which suits Levi Colwill perfectly. With that in mind and given his lack of action last season, it’s difficult to see how Chelsea can continue to justify paying Chilwell £200k-per-week.
This salary makes the 27-year-old Chelsea’s joint- third highest-paid player in the entire squad, only behind Raheem Sterling and Reece James. For context, this means that the defender earns more than both of Chelsea’s biggest targets combined, with Sesko currently earning £57.9k per week and Olise earning £100k per week.
Chilwell is also the highest-earning left-back in the entire Premier League, excluding Josko Gvardiol, with the next highest being Marc Cucurella at £175k- per-week, who’s also at the Blues.
With injuries being a continuous issue and the system no longer suiting the former Fox, this summer may be the perfect time to recoup some of the £50m once spent on him. There’s no doubting that when he’s fit, Chilwell is a flying full-back, but even then, he would be behind Cucurella in the pecking order.
