Transfer fees and wage bills are rising as the 31st edition of the English Premier League enters its penultimate phase with less than ten games to go. Several top-division clubs have been active this season in the summer and winter transfer windows. Chelsea have been quite active in both transfer windows and have roped in 16 new players this season.
The Londoners have spent almost €600 million on the new recruits, but it has not had the desired effect on the club’s performance this season as they are currently 11th on the table, 34 points behind league leaders and fierce rivals Arsenal. Chelsea have already sacked two managers this season, and now Frank Lampard is at the helm till the end of the campaign.
After spending €279 million in the summer transfer window and €318.5 million in the winter transfer window, sacking two managers under the new owners this season, Chelsea are frustrated after seeing several players failing to deliver what was promised according to their respective price tags.
One player, in particular, has evidently failed to justify his price tag and weekly wage, and that player is Marc Cucurella. The 24-year-old left-back was signed by former coach Thomas Tuchel in the summer transfer window. Chelsea spent a whopping €65.3 million to bring the full-back to Stamford Bridge from Brighton and Hove Albion.
Cucurella’s price tag was higher than that of Raheem Sterling (€56.2 million) and Kalidou Koulibaly (€38 million). Since his arrival, the Spaniard has made 24 appearances in the Premier League and provided two assists whilst helping his side keep eight clean sheets. Four out of those eight shutouts came after a goalless draw.
Both of Cucurella’s assists came in the first four games of the season, after which the wing-back has been offensively ineffective down the left flank. The 24-year-old’s contract sees the player earn €200,000 per week. His salary is higher than that of Enzo Fernandez, Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic, and Hakim Ziyech.
Comparing his statistics this season with his transfer fee, each clean sheet has been worth a little over €8 million. Offensively, each of his assists has been worth about €33 million this season. But that is only the transfer fee that has gone to his former club, Brighton. Cucurella’s €200,000-a-week contract will see him earn €10.4 million each season.
According to that calculation, each of Cucurella’s clean sheets this season is worth €1.3 million. Looking at it from an overall contribution perspective, the player has made ten contributions (eight clean sheets and two assists) this season. Each of the Spaniard’s contributions to Chelsea is currently worth a little over €1 million.
Cucurella’s signed a five-year contract at Chelsea in 2022. Till the expiration of his current contract or till his sale to another club, the full-back will earn €10.4 million per year at Stamford Bridge till 2026. Despite this wage bill, Cucurella is the eighth highest-paid player at Chelsea behind Sterling, Koulibaly, N’Golo Kante, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, and Ben Chilwell.
