“He’s absolutely dreadful. He shouldn’t be earning that much with that kind of quality. Just get him out already” – Gabby Agbonlahor advices Todd Boehly to drop the underperforming Chelsea player who receives £40,000 per week more than Gallagher.

Despite investing heavily, Chelsea supporters have endured challenging times in recent years. Last season, the club went through four managers and finished 12th in the Premier League.

This year, under Mauricio Pochettino’s management, albeit temporarily, they currently sit in 11th place. Todd Boehly and his associates’ strategy of splurging on young talent has yet to yield significant results.

While there’s still potential for improvement, there are several high-earning players at the club whose contributions may not justify their salaries.

In fact, despite having made little to no impact since joining last year, one signing is earning significantly more than Conor Gallagher.

Gallagher, a lifelong Chelsea supporter, has been associated with the club throughout his footballing journey. He progressed through the various youth ranks and impressed during loan spells before seizing the opportunity to compete for a place in the senior squad.

The talented midfielder, born in Epsom, made his full debut for Chelsea against Leeds United on August 21, 2022, in the Premier League. However, it wasn’t the ideal introduction he had hoped for, as they suffered a 3-0 defeat to the Peacocks.

Indeed, the Englishman’s initial season with the team might not have unfolded as ideally as he had envisioned. Despite making 45 appearances, he managed only three goals and one assist.

Nonetheless, considering his playing time amounted to just 2022 minutes, his output is not as underwhelming as it might initially appear.

However, the 24-year-old has shown remarkable improvement this season. He has netted four goals and contributed six assists in just 36 appearances. Furthermore, he has served as captain on 17 occasions in the absence of Reece James and Ben Chilwell.

Overall, it would be challenging to dispute the worth of the player described by talent scout Jacek Kulig as the “heart” of the club, especially considering his weekly wage of £50,000. This sentiment holds particularly true when juxtaposed with another player in the team who earns significantly more but contributes comparatively less.

As for Benoît Badiashile’s earnings at Chelsea, while there are several players in the current squad who earn more than Gallagher—18 to be precise— including Robert Sanchez, Nicolas Jackson, and Axel Disasi, one of the most unexpected instances is Badiashile’s.

The French defender currently earns a substantial weekly salary of £90,000, which surpasses the stand-in captain’s earnings by £40,000 per week, nearly double the amount.

While a wage of £90,000 per week is extravagant for most individuals, it’s not uncommon in the Premier League. However, considering Badiashile’s limited playing time for Chelsea, his high salary becomes less justifiable.

Overall, since joining after his £35 million transfer last January, the former AS Monaco player has appeared in 23 matches.

However, a significant portion of that figure can be attributed to the 25 games he has missed due to injury. Additionally, his playing time has been limited due to several subpar performances.

One notable instance was his start at Anfield in January, where he delivered a display that was heavily criticized by Gabby Agbonlahor as “dreadful” and labeled as “the worst centre-half performance I’ve seen in the Premier League.”

He was also accountable for conceding Newcastle United’s opening goal in the team’s League Cup match in December. However, serious criticism was averted due to the 92nd-minute equalizer from Mykhailo Mudryk.

When considering his 60 weeks of wages totaling £5.4 million and the initial £35 million transfer fee paid by the club, it’s difficult not to view that £40 million expenditure as money squandered, at least for the time being.

In the end, the young French player is just 22 years old, and there’s still a chance he could prove his worth for Chelsea. However, considering his recurring injury issues and his underwhelming performances when he is available, the outlook doesn’t appear promising.