'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAFAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFQABAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQf/2gAIAQEAAAAAnr//xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAE/9oACAECEAAAABf/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/9oACAEDEAAAAD//xAAfEAACAgIBBQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMEABEFBhITMkH/2gAIAQEAAT8AirvV4O7Z8zu8LQOqn0I72QoR9Xe21nHdFUblCtZe3fV5olkIWbQBI3n/xAAZEQABBQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADAAIEMlH/2gAIAQIBAT8AnneKmr//xAAXEQADAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIR/9oACAEDAQE/AKt4f//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Chelsea are one of the richest football clubs in the world right now. Their owner, Roman Abramovich, has never shied away from spending big in the transfer market since taking over the club in 2003. As such, the reigning European champions have brought in world-class players at the club which has helped them achieve a lot of success in recent years.
But often, these world-class players demand huge wages, which increases the club's wage bill. Indeed, Chelsea have the second-highest wage bill in the Premier League, amounting to £152.332 million.
Romelu Lukaku, who earns £325,000 every week, is Chelsea's highest paid player since joining the club this summer. He is followed by N'Golo Kante, who pockets £290,000-per-week while German forward Timo Werner earns £272,000-per-week.
Some Chelsea players deserve more than what they are paid right now
While many Chelsea players will be happy with what they are being paid right now, few have proven with their consistent performances that they deserve more.
Trending
So here we take a look at the five Chelsea players who we believe are underpaid by the club right now.
Honorable mention: Andreas Christensen - The Danish international earns just £80,000-per-week and is definitely one of those players that deserves a raise. But he has been excluded from this list due to several reports stating that he is close to agreeing a new four-year contract.
Note - All wages are as listed on Spotrac.com
#5 Jorginho - £110,000
Jorginho has arguably been the best midfielder in Europe since the start of 2021. The 2021 UEFA Men's Player of the Year has been in sublime form, helping Chelsea to a Champions League win while also going on to win Euro 2020 with Italy. His performances over the last six months have shown that he definitely warrants more than £110,000-per-week in wages.
It took the Italian some time to settle in at Stamford Bridge, but since the arrival of Thomas Tuchel, he has shown what he is capable of at Chelsea.
Jorginho continued his impressive performances with the national team where his impeccable passing skills helped Italy outclass their opponents on their way to winning Euro 2020.
The Italian also won the UEFA Super Cup with Chelsea earlier this season, becoming the only player alongside Emerson Palmieri to win all three trophies in one season.
Jorginho's current contract expires in 2023 and Chelsea will definitely be hoping to tie down the Italian with a new deal. It wouldn't be undeserved if they made him one of the highest-earners at the club either.
#4 Antonio Rudiger - £100,000
Antonio Rudiger has been one of Chelsea's standout players since Thomas Tuchel took over from Frank Lampard in January.
Rudiger played just nine games under Lampard, but the German has hit his stride under Tuchel, making 25 appearances and becoming a mainstay in Chelsea's defense. He registered an astounding 74 per cent tackle success rate in the 2020-21 Premier League season.
He also played a crucial part in the knockout stages of the Champions League last season, helping Chelsea bring the trophy back to Stamford Bridge.
Rudiger's performances have shown that he definitely warrants a pay-rise. His contract is set to expire at the end of this season and Chelsea are negotiating with the German for a new one.
However, recent reports have emerged that the latest contract offer made to Rudiger was well short of his expectations. With other big clubs showing interest in him, the onus is on Chelsea to agree a new contract before the end of the season.
#3 Mason Mount - £88,462
Chelsea have a great youth academy but not many players have managed to break into the Blues first team from there. Mason Mount is an exception and has proved his worth at Chelsea, becoming one of the most important players for the club in the last couple of years.
The youngster is technically proficient and always keeps things ticking for the Blues in the attacking third. He was the standout performer for Chelsea as they won the UEFA Champions League last season. Mount also picked up Chelsea's 2020-21 Men's Player of the Year award. He scored nine goals and provided nine assists in 54 appearances across all competitions last season.
Mount finished last season as the player who created the second-most number of chances in the Premier League with 87 to his name. He was also the Englishman with the highest number of chances created last season.
The 22-year-old's performances have shown that he is one of the best players in the Premier League and definitely warrants a higher salary than the one he is currently on.
#2 Reece James - £58,000
Alongside Mason Mount, Reece James is another academy player who has been brilliant for Chelsea in the last couple of years.
James returned to Chelsea after a highly successful loan spell at Wigan Athletic in 2018-19, where he won the Latics' Player of the Year award. He was given a chance in the Chelsea first-team by Frank Lampard the following season and the 21-year-old has not looked back since.
The Chelsea academy talent has become an important member of the senior squad, regularly producing excellent performances in the right-back position.
Since making his Premier League debut in the 2019-20 season, James has gone on to make 87 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions. A physically gifted and intelligent player, James has continued to perform brilliantly under new manager Thomas Tuchel. He was a key part of Chelsea's Champions League-winning team last season, putting in a strong defensive display in the final against Manchester City.
James' weekly wage of £58,000 definitely does not do justice to his performances and he will certainly expect a bump in his wages soon.
#1 Edouard Mendy - £52,000
Edouard Mendy has truly turned things around for Chelsea since joining them last summer. The Blues were leaking goals in Frank Lampard's first season, with Kepa Arrizabalaga and Willy Caballero failing to put in convincing performances. But the signing of Mendy has helped Chelsea become one of the best defensive teams in the world.
Mendy was sublime in the Premier League and was even better in the UEFA Champions League. The shot-stopper kept 16 clean sheets in the Premier League, the second-highest last season, and also managed nine clean sheets in the Champions League, equalling the record in the competition.
Mendy's performances helped him win the 'Best African International' award while he was also named the 'Goalkeeper of the Season' for the 2020-21 Champions League.
The Senegal international's brilliant form in goal has shown that his £52,000-per-week salary does not do justice to his performances. He is definitely the most underpaid player at Chelsea right now.
