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Modern football is exhorbitant, and many world-class and talented footballers make a fortune from their salaries and endorsement deals.
With the sport growing bigger every year, a large part of the revenue ensures the services of the best players. In doing so, many footballers end up with wages that they can't justify with their performances, especially in the richer clubs.
But despite all the riches on one hand, many great footballers also end up earning substantially lesser than what they deserve. This could be due to the club's financial condition or simply down to a lengthy contract signed very early on in their careers.
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For whatever reason it might be down to, the next five names are certainly paid less than what their on-field performances command.
#5 Robin Gosens - £22,000 P/W
Atalanta has several footballers on their roster whose salaries are less than they should justify. Most of the club's players perform well above their pay grades, and it's a well-known fact.
Left wing-back Robin Gosens is one of the biggest names within the Serie A outfit who earns a pretty low annual salary. The player has even managed to get promoted into the starting line-up of the German national side, which is no mean feat.
Gosens suffered an unfortunate injury that has taken away almost the entirety of the ongoing season. The brilliant wing-back is well known for his accurate crosses and pacy runs on the flank. Gosens has even managed to score twice and assist once in the eight appearances across all competitions he made prior to injury.
So it comes as no surprise that the German footballer has so many suitors, with Newcastle United reportedly willing to triple his current wages.
#4 Theo Hernandez - £34,000 P/W
Another left-back on the list, French footballer Theo Hernandez has been one of the best performers in Serie A in the last two seasons. The young wing-back may not be paid handsomely, but his performances for the Milan team justify his desire for an improved contract.
At 24, Hernandez is yet to enter his peak years but has already made a case for himself, earning a national team debut alongside brother Lucas Hernandez.
The Frenchman has been one of the best offensive wing-backs in recent times. Hernandez is well-known for his ability to run with the ball and bomb forward to join the attack. His tally of seven assists and four goals in just 24 appearances across all competitions once again shows how good he is in the offensive department.
Many European elites will be looking at him as an excellent option, considering the low wages he earns in Milan.
#3 Bukayo Saka - £30,000 P/W
The Premier League is cumulatively the richest league globally, and Arsenal is one of its richest clubs. The Gunners may have been underperforming on the pitch in recent years, but they have a billionaire owner who can splash the cash when required. Arsenal were, in fact, the highest spenders across Europe's top five leagues last summer.
One would like to think that the club's best prospect would be earning a fortune. Unfortunately, that's not the case with Bukayo Saka, as he is on pretty low wages compared to many of his compatriots. What Saka earns is in stark contrast to what the young Englishman has achieved already in the very early days.
Saka is still a few years away from his prime but is already a regular at the Emirates. He can play in several positions on the left channel and has performed equally well in offensive and defensive areas. This season, Saka has made 24 appearances in all competitions, scoring seven goals and laying out four assists.
He still has some time left on his current deal but will likely get a new and improved contract in the near future.
#2 Dusan Vlahovic - £26,000 P/W
Dusan Vlahovic has been in top form the last couple of seasons and has blossomed into a rising star in Serie A. The striker has been linked with several bigger European clubs, but none of them matched Fiorentina's exorbitant asking price.
As a result, Vlahovic is on one of the lowest contracts in the top five European leagues, and it looks even lower when one considers his performances.
The forward is a proven goalscorer, exceedingly good in the air and on the ground, and uses his frame to out-maneuver opposing defenders.
He has been Fiorentina's best player in the current campaign. In the 24 appearances he has made across all competitions so far, Vlahovic has already scored 20 goals and assisted four more as well.
If rumors are anything to go by, Vlahovic will see a change in environment in 2022.
#1 Edouard Mendy - £52,000 P/W
Edouard Mendy has been in impeccable form since the turn of last year. Thomas Tuchel's arrival has changed Chelsea's fortunes for the better, and Mendy's gloves have been a major contributor in that.
The Senegalese shot-stopper's biggest contribution was the big saves he made in last year's UEFA Champions League final enroute to a cleansheet. Such were his performances that even many rival fans believed he should have won the Yashin trophy that eventually went to Gianluigi Donnarumma.
Mendy's meager wages at club level are a surprise as Chelsea are one of the richest clubs on the planet. The Senegalese is not even the highest-paid goalkeeper at Stamford Bridge, with second-choice custodian Kepa Arrizabalaga earning more than him.
With time left on his existing contract, it's unlikely that Chelsea will have any intentions of selling Mendy. He has looked solid whenever he has been called into action and has often been the difference between a defeat and a win for his team.
Mendy has continued to put on some stellar displays in the current campaign, with 12 clean sheets in 26 appearances across all major competitions.
