Chelsea need to sell their £64m problem who Boehly dubbed “world-class”

One factor Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital have tried to do since taking on Chelsea is decrease their wage invoice, bringing in youthful skills earlier than they hit their prime, and making their pay construction extra incentive-based, to reward the highest performers.

The membership’s present highest earner is the membership captain, Reece James, who’s incomes £250k-per-week, coming via the academy ranks, and being valued as one of many Blues’ finest gamers when he’s match. Nevertheless, folks may argue he is not presently justifying that wage, as he’s typically out with damage points.

Chelsea’s high ten earners 2024/25
Participant	Wage
Reece James	£250,000
Ben Chilwell	£200,000
Wesley Fofana	£200,000
Christopher Nkunku	£195,000
Enzo Fernández	£180,000
Marc Cucurella	£175,000
Raheem Sterling	£162,500
Pedro Neto	£160,000
Moises Caicedo	£150,000
Cole Palmer	£130,000
Information taken from Capology

One title that stands out in Chelsea’s high ten earners, is Raheem Sterling. Regardless of being out on mortgage with Arsenal this season, he nonetheless ranks because the seventh highest earner on the membership, and subsequent season, when he returns, he could be again to the highest earner, on a whopping £325k-per-week.

Raheem Sterling’s time at Chelsea

When Chelsea signed Sterling for £47.5m from Manchester City again in 2022, Boehly stated Sterling was a “world-class” expertise, who was additionally a “serial winner” and he could not wait to have him taking part in at Stamford Bridge.

However issues did not prove that means, because the winger struggled to dwell as much as the expectations set for him, not offering the identical output as he did at Metropolis, and never offering sufficient total high quality elsewhere to make up for that lack of objectives and assists.

“Sterling is a serial winner and his signing is a vital step in strengthening our squad. We’re delighted for Raheem to return to London with Chelsea, and we look ahead to seeing his world-class expertise on show at Stamford Bridge.”

In his 81 appearances for the club, the Englishman has scored 19 objectives and offered 12 assists, totalling 5,326 minutes. This output wasn’t sufficient to justify his mega wage and Enzo Maresca made it clear in pre-season that different wingers could be forward of Sterling within the pecking order, resulting in his mortgage transfer to Arsenal this summer time.

Nevertheless, The Blues will nonetheless have an costly drawback to take care of subsequent summer time, a £64.4m drawback to be precise combining his £47.5 buy payment and £16.9m-per year-wages, as they give the impression of being to dump the 29-year-old on a everlasting foundation.

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First Impressions

What did pundits and followers alike take into consideration their new star signing after they arrived? Soccer FanCast’s ‘First Impressions’ collection has every part you want.

How Chelsea’s wingers examine to Sterling

The 2 broad gamers for Chelsea with essentially the most appearances thus far this time period are Noni Madueke and summer time signing, Pedro Neto.

The previous has made 16 appearances, scoring six objectives and offering two assists, while Neto has additionally made 16 appearances, scoring thrice and offering three assists.

Sterling (23/24) vs Neto & Madueke (24/25)
Stats (per 90 minutes)	Sterling	Neto	Madueke
Objectives	0.33	0.33	0.38
Assists	0.26	0.16	0.30
xG	0.30	0.07	0.43
xAG	0.20	0.36	0.23
Progressive Carries	5.45	5.68	6.60
Progressive Passes	3.55	1.14	3.98
Photographs Complete	2.29	2.03	4.09
Key Passes	1.36	2.27	1.36
Passes into Pen Space	1.59	1.36	2.23
Shot-Creating Actions	3.86	3.98	3.50
Profitable Take-Ons	2.05	2.05	1.94
Stats taken from FBref

Madueke has thrived this season, rating highest in seven of the 11 metrics measured above, offering essentially the most progressive actions, the best shot quantity, and essentially the most output per 90 (objectives + assists).

A carry is taken into account progressive if the ball is moved in direction of the opponent’s objective not less than 10 yards from its start line or is carried into the penalty space.

Neto, then again, while he hasn’t added the identical stage of output as Madueke, has added a brand new inventive stage to this Chelsea facet, producing essentially the most xAG (anticipated assisted objectives), taking part in essentially the most key passes per 90, and producing essentially the most shot-creating actions per 90.

Chelsea have been a lot better off this marketing campaign with out Sterling within the facet, and subsequently the problem will come subsequent summer time as they give the impression of being to dump the 29-year-old on such excessive wages, which may show to be the largest stumbling block. Both means, they need to discover a method to lose him completely.