The predicament stands as a costly reminder of the early days of the Todd Boehly-Clearlake Capital ownership. When the attacker arrived from Manchester City in 2022 for a fee of £47.5 million, he was the first marquee signing of the new regime, intended to be a statement of intent. He was handed a massive five-year contract worth £325,000 per week, a figure that now sits uneasily alongside the club’s evolved financial structure.
Since that summer, the west Londoners have significantly tweaked their recruitment approach. The hierarchy now prefers incentivised contracts with lower base salaries when acquiring new talent, moving away from the guaranteed mega-money deals that characterised their initial spending spree.
The continued presence of such a high earner on the books, despite contributing nothing on the pitch for nearly two years, represents a significant financial burden. The club is keen to finally sever ties with the highest-profile remnant of that initial strategy, allowing them to fully move forward with their younger, more cost-controlled squad.