Chelsea's multi-millionaire squad are on course to share
a staggering £14million in prize money if they complete an
unprecedented Grand Slam this season. An incredible payment
schedule has been agreed with Jose Mourinhos men if they add the
Champions League, Premiership and FA Cup to their Carling Cup
success.
In addition to their salaries, Chelseas players will share
£750,000 between them as reward for beating Valencia in the
European Cup quarter-final on Tuesday evening but there is a
further £3m available if they go on to lift the trophy. Didier
Drogba, who has played some part in all of Chelseas 32 Premiership
matches this season and has competed in all three cup competitions,
stands to make £737,000 in bonuses alone if they complete the
Quadruple next month.
The incentive scheme devised by Chelsea is believed to be the
biggest in football and the figures dwarf the £5.6m that will be
paid to Manchester Uniteds players if they complete the Treble.
Sir Alex Fergusons players are contractually entitled to receive
£350,000 each if they can repeat the clubs astonishing triumph of
1999.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Co will earn £200,000 each for
going all the way in Europe, £100,000 if they can snatch the
Premiership title back from Chelsea and a further £50,000 if they
can land Fergusons sixth FA Cup. The figures certainly outstrip
the estimated £100,000 received by each member of the 1999 squad,
but they still pale in comparison to the riches on offer at
Stamford Bridge.
According to the payment schedule agreed between Chelseas
management and players at the start of 2006-07, each member of the
squad earns £10,000 for each win in the Champions League group
phase and £2,000-a-man for a draw. After topping a group that also
included Barcelona, Werder Bremen and Levski Sofia, the club then
agreed to pay the squad numbering no more than 20 players a
bonus of £500,000 for qualifying for the first knock-out
phase.
When Chelsea played Porto over two legs last month in the round of
last 16, the stakes were further raised. They were paid £2,000 for
the draw against Mourinhos former club in Portugal and £15,000 for
the victory at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea then authorised a payment
of £650,000 to be divided between a maximum squad of 20 players.
Having earned a further sum of £750,000 for beating Valencia, they
will divide another £1m between them if they overcome Liverpool
over two legs in the semi-finals. There is a further £2m on offer
if they win the final in Athens on May 23.
Chelsea players have already pocketed £1m between them for winning
the Carling Cup against Arsenal and they stand to make another
£1.5m if they win the FA Cup Final, or £500,000 if they finish
runners-up. According to the schedule, Chelsea pay bonuses to the
players one month after receiving the prize money from UEFA, but
Mourinho's multi-millionaire squad can certainly afford to
wait.
Simply for finishing in the top four of the Premiership, Chelsea's
squad are paid £5,000 for each victory and £1,000 for each draw,
Drogba is assured a minimum payment of £121,000 for his efforts so
far in the League campaign. If he plays in all remaining League
games and they are victories, it will boost that figure to
£151,000. And if they go on to pip Manchester United to the post,
the players will also divide a one-off bonus of £2.6m between
them.