Chelsea’s 2023/24 campaign has been filled with both positivity and negativity, which is expected at the start of a rebuild.
Mauricio Pochettino has often faced backlash for the poor results that have landed the Blues in an 11th-place position in the Premier League.
However, the FA Cup trophy can still be won, with a tough tie against Leicester City around the corner, but a triumph in that competition would certainly end the season on a high.
That said, one huge positive from this season was the signing of Cole Palmer, but there’s a Chelsea player who’s currently earning over three times more than him, despite barely playing.
Cole Palmer’s salary at Chelsea
Chelsea’s purchase of Palmer this summer from Manchester City for a fee of £40m could very well go down as the signing of the season if he continues to perform at the standard he has so far.
The 21-year-old has been unstoppable this season, taking on the role as the focal point for the Blues, scoring 11 goals and providing eight assists in just 19 Premier League starts.
Gareth Southgate has rewarded Palmer’s excellent performances by handing him a spot in the England squad for the upcoming international break, which just proves how influential he’s been.
However, his current wage doesn’t reflect his impact on the field, with the number ten earning 'just' £75k-per-week, as per Capology, which is far less than a certain somewhat forgotten ace…
Cole Palmer is now being outscored by a Chelsea flop who left on a free
The former Blues man is on fire this season.
ByJack Salveson HolmesMar 15, 2024 What Reece James earns at Chelsea
There’s no doubt about it, when Reece James is fit and playing, he’s certainly “world class,” as described by football creator George Benson, with his five goals and nine assists in the 2021/22 campaign serving as evidence for that.
However, that’s where the problem lies for the Chelsea defender, as reliability and availability have been a huge issue over the last few seasons.
The England defender has dealt with 12 injuries since the start of the 2021/22 season, with a hamstring injury being a common occurrence.
Unfortunately, injuries have also ruined his campaign under the Argentine, and he has missed 29 matches to date. James’ last match for Chelsea was the 2-0 away defeat to Everton at the start of December, having made just seven appearances prior.
Nevertheless, if the 24-year-old can find a solution to his constant setbacks, then he still has a minimum of four years left on his contract, which expires in June 2028.
Raheem Sterling
£350k
Reece James
£250k
Wesley Fofana
£200k
Ben Chillwell
£200k
Cole Palmer *16th
£75k
As you can see, James is also the second-highest earner in the entire Chelsea squad at £250k per week, with only Sterling having a higher salary than the right-back.
This clearly shows that the number 24 earns just over three times more than Palmer does, despite being unable to influence the team on the pitch.
With James’ return to action not entirely known, if he is sadly out for the entire campaign, he would cost Chelsea £2.6m per start this campaign.
Overall, James’ unfortunate luck when it comes to injuries is extremely sad to witness, especially when he has displayed so much potential, and hopefully he can justify his large wage in the near future.
At present, however, it is looking hard for the Blues to justify forking out his exorbitant salary…