With Chelsea’s heavy spending under Todd Boehly after his takeover back in 2022, it was always unlikely that every signing would be a success, with numerous of the American’s additions not going as he would’ve planned.
Raheem Sterling was one of his first big-money signings, moving in a £45m deal from Manchester City back in the summer of 2022 with expectations of transforming the club’s forward line.
However, the move for the experienced England international has been nothing short of a disaster, scoring just 19 times in 81 appearances, becoming the club’s highest-paid player at one stage.
Robert Sanchez is just another addition who’s failed to reach the levels expected after his move from Brighton, proving to be a constant source of errors as seen against Manchester City a couple of weeks ago.
The same can’t be said for one player who’s massively caught the eye in the Premier League for the Blues, looking to be worth every penny of the fee splashed out for his signature.
Cole Palmer’s stats for Chelsea since joining
After looking as though he was set for a loan move to Burnley, Chelsea decided to fork out £40m for the signature of Manchester City winger Cole Palmer in the summer of 2023.
Not many people would’ve known what to expect from the youngster, but it’s safe to say he’s exceeded beyond the wildest imagination of any supporter – being the go-to man for action in front of goal over the last two seasons.
The 22-year-old registered 25 goals and 15 assists during his debut season in West London, the most of any player, helping secure the club a place in the Europa Conference League.
This season, the talented star has continued his trend of being the star man in attacking areas under Enzo Maresca, notching 14 goals and six assists in his 27 appearances – helping the club challenge for a Champions League spot.
Despite his superb form since his move, he still earns a whole heap less than one player who pockets a small fortune whilst providing little to no positive impact for the Blues.
The player who earns more than Palmer at Chelsea
After joining the club for a reported £71.6m in the summer of 2018, goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga arrived with high expectations of being a star for Chelsea after costing a world-record sum for a player in his position.
In total, he’s made 163 appearances for the club since his arrival, before joining Real Madrid on loan last summer for the 2023/24 campaign – before linking up with Andoni Iraola’s Bournemouth side on loan for the entirety of this season.
He’s made 17 appearances for the Cherries in their unexpected push for a European spot, keeping five clean sheets – averaging 3.7 saves per 90 down on the South Coast in 2024/25.
However, the 30-year-old still remains a Blues player after only leaving on a temporary basis, having 18 months left on his current deal as things stand.
Despite his impressive form away from the club, Maresca should look to permanently sell the Spaniard in the summer, especially when taking his extortionate earnings into account.
According to Capology, Kepa earns a mammoth £150k-per-week, which sees him take home £7.8m a year – earning a whopping £39m in wages alone during his time at the club, not including loan spells away from the club.
|
Chelsea’s highest-paid players in 2024/25 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Rank |
Player |
Weekly wage |
Yearly wage |
|
1 |
Reece James |
£250,000 |
£13,000,000 |
|
=2 |
Wesley Fofana |
£200,000 |
£10,400,000 |
|
=2 |
Ben Chilwell |
£200,000 |
£10,400,000 |
|
4 |
Christopher Nkunku |
£195,000 |
£10,140,000 |
|
5 |
Enzo Fernández |
£180,000 |
£9,360,000 |
|
6 |
Marc Cucurella |
£175,000 |
£9,100,000 |
|
7 |
Pedro Neto |
£160,000 |
£8,320,000 |
|
8 |
Moises Caicedo |
£150,000 |
£7,800,000 |
|
=8 |
Kepa Arrizabalaga |
£150,000 |
£7,800,000 |
|
9 |
Cole Palmer |
£130,000 |
£6,760,000 |
|
Stats via Capology |
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When coupled with his hefty transfer fee, he’s cost the club a staggering £111m, a huge waste of money given his lack of impact, with his last impression undoubtedly being his penalty shootout antics which have seen him refuse to be substituted whilst also missing a crucial spot-kick.
Kepa, who’s previously been dubbed “shocking” by one social media star, also earns more than current first-team star Palmer, who only earns £130k-per-week despite his impressive form, with the goalkeeper currently earning £20k-per-week more.
Given the amount spent on the shot-stopper, there’s no denying that the club need to part ways with him this summer, as he heads into the final year of his contract.
Undoubtedly, the goalkeeping situation is still an issue for Maresca, but Kepa simply isn’t the answer, needing to offload him to raise funds and invest in a new number one ahead of 2025/26.
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