sportbible homepage
sportbible homepage
  • Football
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • Home
  • Football
    • Premier League
    • Champions League
    • World Cup
    • England
    • Transfer News
    • Manchester United
    • Liverpool
    • Arsenal
    • Real Madrid
    • Barcelona
  • Formula 1
    • Red Bull
    • Ferrari
    • McLaren
    • Mercedes
    • Max Verstappen
    • Lewis Hamilton
    • Lando Norris
    • George Russell
    • Charles Leclerc
  • Boxing
  • UFC
  • More Sport
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • NBA
    • NFL
    • Darts
    • Athletics
    • Rugby
    • Wrestling
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Snapchat
TikTok
Threads
YouTube
Submit Your Content Here
  • LADbible
  • Tyla
  • GAMINGbible
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • FOODbible
  • UNILAD Tech
The last time Chelsea handed out a long contract, it backfired massively

Home> Football

Updated 22:50 17 Jan 2023 GMTPublished 17:29 17 Jan 2023 GMT

The last time Chelsea handed out a long contract, it backfired massively

A former Chelsea player collected £40,000-a-week doing absolutely nothing for four years.

Josh Lawless

Josh Lawless

google discoverFollow us on Google Discover

Chelsea once signed a player on a huge £40,000-a-week contract for four years and he ended up doing little to earn his hefty paycheck.

In recent times under new owner Todd Boehly, the Blues have been tying their new additions down to extremely long-term contracts.

David Fofana penned a deal until 2029, Benoit Badiashile is contracted for seven-and-a-half year contract, while most recent signing Mykhaylo Mudryk is on a mammoth eight-and-a-half year arrangement after Chelsea pipped Arsenal to draft him in from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Advert

And former Spurs and Sunderland striker Darren Bent brought up a previous instance of a long contract being handed out to a player in west London.

He was referring to to the curious case of Winston Bogarde, who joined from Barcelona in 2000.

A two-time La Liga winner, Bogarde also played for AC Milan, Ajax and the Netherlands national team.

But at Chelsea, he played just nine times in the Premier League in a four-year period and there were reports that he still lived in Holland and would fly to training daily.

Image: Alamy
Image: Alamy

"I think Chelsea have had this before," Bent said on talkSPORT.

"Chelsea fans might correct me. Winston Bogarde. I'm pretty sure, I spoke to Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, he used to live in Holland!

"(He would) get the plane over in the morning, get to training, train, get back on the plane after training, everyday Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink told me this.

"There might be an odd occasion where he would stay over. That's dedication that."

It was said that Claudio Ranieri wanted Bogarde to leave just weeks after he took the Chelsea job, but he ended up honouring his contract until 2004 as he could not find a deal on par with the one he was on at at Stamford Bridge.

Image: Alamy
Image: Alamy

He made more than £10 million for doing next to nothing and in 2015, shed light on his predicament.

"They had to cut costs," he told The Guardian.

"My situation was not very good and we tried to solve it many ways. Like to maybe go on loan or sell me, or whatever. But in the end it didn’t work out."

He also emphatically denied claims that he would get a plane to training, stating: "Of course not. I don’t understand how people come to these ridiculous stories, or lies or whatever."

Bogarde retired from football just a year after his stint at Chelsea ended and he has worked as assistant coach at Ajax.

His nephew Lamara plays for Aston Villa.

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Chelsea, Premier League

Josh Lawless
Josh Lawless

Josh is a sports journalist who specialises in football and WWE. He has been published by Curzon Ashton FC, Late Tackle, Manchester City FC, The Mirror, Read Man City and Manchester Evening News. He provides coverage of professional wrestling and has covered two WrestleMania events for SPORTbible.

X

@joshlawless_

Recommended reads

Tyson Fury explains why his 14-year-old son Prince has “no choice” but to become a boxerGettyTyson Fury targets Jon Jones clash as next move after boxing confirmedGetty“I don’t fight for a country” – Michael 'Venom' Page reveals why he won’t walk out with a flag at UFC LondonGeoff Stellfox/Getty ImagesLerone Murphy details ‘bucket list’ fight ahead of UFC LondonChris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Advert

Choose your content:

2 hours ago
4 hours ago
8 hours ago
  • Getty
    2 hours ago

    The 10 longest gaps between England caps as Ben White gets shock recall

    Ben White has returned to the England squad four years after his last cap against Ivory Coast.

    Football
  • Getty Images
    4 hours ago

    Can you name every Spurs manager since 2000 as Tim Sherwood says, 'I'd keep them up'

    Tottenham look certain to be appointing a new manager soon, but can you name everyone to have taken charge since 2000?

    Football
  • Getty
    8 hours ago

    England release blunt statement after confirming Ben White's first call-up since 2022

    England have confirmed changes to Thomas Tuchel's latest squad, with Ben White making a surprise return.

    Football
  • Getty Images
    8 hours ago

    Arsenal warned Prem lead is 'tight' as Mikel Arteta accused of 'monumental' error

    Arteta defended his decision but many believe it was the wrong call.

    Football
  • What happened to the £14m Chelsea signing who didn't play for them for seven years
  • Chelsea player 'makes decision' about future as report emerges hours after Newcastle game
  • Chelsea set for further punishment after transfer ban as points deduction decision made
  • Chelsea 'make' Liam Rosenior sack decision after Everton defeat