The seven worst Premier League performers who somehow have contracts more valuable than Mohamed Salah

Today at 12:15 PM

The contract situation involving Liverpool and Mohamed Salah is one of football’s hottest talking points at this moment in time – if not the hottest.

Despite scoring 13 goals and providing 11 assists in just 20 appearances so far this season – form which has helped the Reds sit top of the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League – Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are yet to make the Egypt international an offer, with his current contract expiring in July.

The Liverpool No.11 is therefore free to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with a European side from January onwards unless the situation changes.

Daniel Sturridge is one popular pundit to have already called on FSG to cough up the cash required to keep Mohamed Salah – with Liverpool fans also creating a banner related to that sentiment – but how valuable is the Egyptian’s current contract in relation to his Premier League peers? Let’s take a look.

Mohamed Salah has 25th most valuable contract in the Premier League

There are actually 24 players with contracts more valuable than the 32-year-old’s existing deal.

Of these 24 names who rank above Salah, who PSG want, let’s take a look at the seven who absolutely do not deserve to be earning anywhere near what the Liverpool talisman takes home based on their performances in recent times.

Enzo Fernandez

We may as well look towards the top of the list to begin with – and Enzo Fernandez has a long way to go in terms of repaying Chelsea’s faith in him.

A £106.8m arrival from Benfica in January 2023, the Argentina international was handed a deal worth £180,000-a-week running until the summer of 2031, hence the large value of the contract.

In return, Fernandez has scored just nine goals and provided 11 assists in 79 appearances, while also bringing a dark cloud over Chelsea after being filmed singing racist chants with Argentina.

Jack Grealish

Grealish was the first £100m signing in British football back in August 2021, landing a contract worth £300,000-a-week running until the summer of 2027.

However, the England international has only scored 14 goals in 138 appearances at Manchester City – along with 20 assists – which does not feel like good value for money whatsoever.

Raheem Sterling

Arguably the human embodiment of Todd Boehly’s panicked trolley dash in his first summer at Chelsea, the £50m signing of Raheem Sterling, on a five-year contract worth £325,000-a-week, was a terrible move.

As per our list, the England international will have cost Chelsea £84.5m by the time that contract expires, and at the time of writing, only has 19 goals in 81 appearances for the Blues.

Sterling is now on loan at Arsenal – where he is struggling to break into the starting XI with just two Premier League starts so far this season.

Reece James

In fairness to Reece James, injuries have taken a toll on the Chelsea No.24 – although that does not mask the fact his new deal in September 2022 has proven to be terrible value for money at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea handed the England international a new six-year contract back in September 2022 which is worth £250,000-a-week, but since putting pen to paper, the defender has only been able to make 26 Premier League appearances due to fitness issues.

Casemiro

The £70m signing of Casemiro from Real Madrid back in August 2022 was a terrible move by Manchester United.

It saw the Brazil international sign a £350,000-a-week contract running until the summer of 2026.

However, Manchester United are already keen to sell Casemiro after a string of woeful performances, before he ends up leaving on a free transfer in 2026 when that £72.8m contract ends.

Jadon Sancho

Manchester United feature on this list once again, which speaks volumes about how poorly the Red Devils have recruited in recent years.

£73m was spent to sign Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund back in July 2021, although the England international only scored 12 goals in 83 appearances before falling out with Erik ten Hag.

The 24-year-old is now on loan at Chelsea, who are obligated to buy him for £23m at the end of the season, so at least Manchester United will recoup some cash.

Mason Mount

Like James, Mason Mount has struggled with injuries since signing a lucrative contract.

Manchester United splashed £60m to sign the England international from Chelsea back in June 2023, which was an odd move in itself, seeing as he only had 12 months remaining on his deal in west London.

Since Mount arrived in Manchester, where he has a £250,000-a-week deal running until the summer of 2028, the 25-year-old has only managed to make 28 appearances, scoring one goal and providing one assist.

The man from Portsmouth still has around four years to show he was worth his £65m contract, but the jury is out as things stand.