There’s a saying “Do what you do best, rest will fall into place”. It sounds like a certain morale booster for top professionals from every field but when it comes to football, the proverb states only half the truth.
For example “The Saints” wanted to get rid of their underperforming Italian frontman Graziano Pellè this season and then he was offered a weekly salary of £260,000 over the course of two and a half years by Chinese Super League topper Shandong Luneng.
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A little statistical analysis can prove the point that amongst all the top division leagues played in all over Europe, England has a bizarre reputation of prioritising big names over performance. With certain priority comes certain value. For example, Samuel Eto'o joined Chelsea for £7million a year salary when he was 32 years old.
Bastian Schweinsteiger came to Old Trafford when he was 31 for a transfer fee worth £7.5 million and his weekly wage is £200,000. Now we don’t need to tell you about their performance statistics. Do we?
Let’s look at 5 such players whose insane wages don’t make any sense at all.
#1 Raheem Sterling
When Raheem Sterling penned his contract for the Citizens of Manchester, the social media went viral with brutally funny memes. His £49 million move from Anfield made him the most expensive English player and his current wages at the club is £180,000 a week.
The only possible justification behind this insane price tag can be given for his role in 2013/14 season when Liverpool finished second in the Premier League just behind Manchester City. He scored 9 goals that season and assisted another 7 playing a crucial role in Liverpool’s success but since then it’s all became mere hope and utter disappointment.
His finishing has been horrible, aerial balls are unreachable, his free-kicks hardly breach the wall, and he’s missing spot kicks as well. His recent performance in European Championship will certainly be a matter of concern for Pep Guardiola and yet he remains the most expensive player in England.
Just another example of priority to name over performance.
#2 Radamel Falcao
There was a time when Radamel Falcao, the Colombian hitman, used to score 30+ goals every season. That’s how he earned his name “El Tigre” and then he cashed out his name coming to England.
Falcao signed for the Red Devils in 2014/15 season for an estimated £285,000 a week salary. There he scored 4 goals in the entire season in all competitions. The story doesn’t end here. The next season Chelsea kept their hope towards the dimmed star.
Falcao was clever enough to keep the ball rolling in his court so he took a large amount of wage cut and agreed to stay at the Stamford Bridge for an estimated salary of £140,000 per week. For the most part of the season, he was sidelined due to various injuries and was able to take part in only 12 games and scored only once in the entire season in all competitions.
In professional football, wages doesn’t make sense all the time but a name definitely does.
#3 Samir Nasri
Once known for his creativity on the pitch and goal scoring ability, Samir Nasri was a fan favourite amongst the Gunners. His dynamic brand of football evidently caught the attention of several big clubs and then he started his new chapter in Manchester City colours.
What could possibly be a great signing turned out to be a bench strengthening strategy. Nasri has now spent 5 seasons with Manchester City but has only managed to score more than 10 goals once, which came in the 2013/14 season.
Since then it’s all been a been a ride downhill. However, that didn’t take any effect in his earnings. Nasri reportedly earns a whopping £120,000 a week more than their star performer Joe Hart, yet he is one of the costliest reserve players in the Premier League.
So how does it feel to do absolutely nothing but earn a lot? The once a brilliant footballer Samir Nasri might tell you about that.
#4 Christian Benteke
Christian Benteke is the latest example of how mediocrity is praised in the Premier League. Benteke’s £32.5 million transfer fee raised everyone’s eyebrows so the expectations of the Belgian becoming a goal scoring threat akin to Luis Suarez was always going to be there.
Benteke’s earnings were raised to £140,000 a week but when it came to performances on the pitch, the Belgian has been a poor, to say the least.
Benteke’s continuous failure has opened the gate of opportunity for forever injured Daniel Sturridge and he’s making the most of it. Sturridge scored 13 goals in all competitions in his mere 25 appearances compared to Benteke who scored 10 times in his 42 appearances in all competitions. But that won’t worry Benteke as long as the club is keeping its faith on him and giving a pay raise every other season in the hope of making a difference.
#5 Jack Wilshere
There was a time when the English media made Jack Wilshere the poster boy as England’s “Messi”. Down the years, the real Lionel managed to earn 5 Ballon d'Or while Wilshere struggled to stay fit even for a quarter of a season.
Arsene Wenger introduced the Arsenal Academy graduate to his first team in the hope of making another Cesc Fàbregas but alas!! The injury prone creative midfielder has seldom made any long term impact to the club. Moreover, his smoking habit being caught on camera has elevated more controversies than his goal-bound shots.
Last time when he featured in more than 25 games in a Premier League season was in 2010/11 and yet he earns £90,000 a week salary. His earning is more than Aaron Ramsey, Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker, three key members of the Arsenal’s success.
Apparently, Wilshere’s initial creativity on the pitch and English media’s overrated hype has earned him the price tag even after spending half of his season in injuries and side-lined.
Jack Wilshere is one of the best example to understand about how English Premier League model works and how they set the insane price tags and wages to the players.
