Chelsea have had a number of highly-regarded players at the club over the years, however one of them refused to leave the club after he was surplus to requirements.
The club had recently suffered with being unable to move on players who are out of Enzo Maresca’s plans. Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi both remained at the club after not finding a new suitor last summer.
The problem in selling Sterling is the amount of money he is currently earning at Chelsea. The winger is the club’s highest paid player, and clearly does not want to give that up.
Winston Bogarde and Stephane Henchoz collide for the ball during Liverpool vs Chelsea
1 Nov 2000: Winston Bogarde of Chelsea evades the challenge from Stephane Henchoz of Liverpool during the Worthington Cup 3rd round match played at Anfield, in Liverpool, England. Liverpool won the match 2-1 after extra-time. Mandatory Credit: Clive Brunskill /Allsport
Winston Bogarde refused to leave Chelsea and earned £8m
The situation was very similar to what they faced with Winston Bogarde. He was handed a four-year contract in 2000 on a salary of £40,000-per-week.
The figure was extortionate for the time, with the player himself struggling to believe just how much he was earning at Stamford Bridge.
In his biography, Bogarde said: “Why should I throw fifteen million euro away when it is already mine? At the moment I signed it was in fact my money, my contract. Both sides agreed wholeheartedly. I could go elsewhere to play for less, but you have to understand my history to understand I would never do that.
“I used to be poor as a kid, did not have anything to spend or something to play with. This world is about money, so when you are offered those millions you take them. Few people will ever earn so many. I am one of the few fortunates who do. I may be one of the worst buys in the history of the Premiership, but I don’t care.”
Over four years, the defender would have earned more than £8m from his weekly salary, which was a problem for Chelsea in an era before Roman Abramovich’s money had taken them to the very top.
2022-04-23 NEC Nijmegen v Ajax - Dutch Eredivisie
Photo by Jeroen Meuwsen/BSR Agency/Getty Images
Bogarde’s career came to an end at Stamford Bridge
The Dutchman had already become a Champions League winner in 1995 with Ajax, however just a week after he joined the club manager Gianluca Vialli departed the club.
His replacement, Claudio Ranieri, clearly didn’t fancy giving him the opportunity, and in his final three years at the club he made just one appearance in the League Cup.
Despite also playing for AC Milan and Barcelona before the move to West London, his time in the game came to an end when his Chelsea contract finally expired in 2004.
The defender enjoyed an elite career, but ultimately the final few years of his career are stained by his time at Chelsea, and the Blues felt the financial repercussions at the same time.