Chelsea Have Paid £85,440 For Every Minute Danny Drinkwater Has Played

Danny Drinkwater has yet to make a single appearance for Chelsea since the Community Shield defeat to Manchester City back in August 2018.

Mauricio Sarri clearly wasn't a fan of the midfielder during his spell in charge and refused to give the 28-year-old a chance in the first team.

"I think for him the problem is only my football," said Sarri last year.

"He's a very good midfielder but he is suitable for a midfield two because with a three he is not really a central midfielder or suitable for centre right or centre left."

Drinkwater's future looked uncertain under Sarri after he admitted that he didn't know about his situation.

"I don't know. It depends on the club, it's up to him." Sarri said. "We have a tactical problem with the midfielders. We have four midfielders [not including Drinkwater] and three of them have the same characteristics."

Chelsea signed the midfielder from Leicester City for a reported £35 million back in September 2017, but the midfielder has struggled for first team minutes since joining.

In fact, the club have paid him £9.6 million in wages since he joined in 2017 - which is around £85,000 per minute, according The Daily Mail.

Despite a slow start to life at Stamford Bridge, the incoming Frank Lampard is willing to give Drinkwater the opportunity to resurrect his career.

"Everybody will have the opportunity to show what they can do and demonstrate their attitude, the way they play and train in pre-season onwards," he said.

"I would be a fool to come here with ideas about freezing anybody out. I want to get the best out of the squad. Everybody has an opportunity, I have no preconceived ideas about anybody.

"I have got good knowledge of the squad but I need to see them over the next month."

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Drinkwater made his first league start for Chelsea in November 2017, when Antonio Conte's side recorded a 1-1 draw against Liverpool.

It was a surprise inclusion considering he failed to make a real impact in Conte's plans since his move from Leicester.

But many were impressed with his performance as he successfully kept the likes of Coutinho quiet for large spells.

Eden Hazard, on the other hand, suggested that Drinkwater's inclusion meant that only he and Alvaro Morata would be match winners.

"We changed the system, Danny Drinkwater was on the pitch and then we were a bit more defensive. The only player around me was Alvaro Morata, so if we wanted to win we had to do something together, just me and him." Hazard told the Evening Standard.

"That's why I tried to pass my opponent [by dribbling] every time, and in the first half we did well.

"In the second half it was more complicated but we scored, so I am happy."

Should Drinkwater leave Chelsea for more first team opportunities? Or can Frank Lampard get the best out of him?

Let us know in the comments.

Topics: Football News, Chelsea, Football, Danny Drinkwater, Premier League

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare is a writer at SPORTbible. He's interviewed some of the biggest names in sport, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pele, Carles Puyol and Tim Henman. He dabbles in all things sport but football is his biggest passion. He was once hit in the head by a wayward strike from Nicky Butt and lived to tell the tale.

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