PREMIER LEAGUE stars earn more money than most people could spend and some of them bag millions without even playing.
Manchester United’s Sergio Romero tops the list of last season’s highest earning bench warmers.
The Premier League’s highest paid benchwarmers in 2019-20
And Tottenham’s new signing Joe Hart comes in second where his £45,000-a-week wages at Burnley last season saw him bag £2,340,000 without playing a single Premier League minute.
Here SunSport reveals OLBG data showing the top ten highest earners who didn’t play at all in the Prem during the 2019-20 campaign.
1. SERGIO ROMERO
Manchester United’s No2 goalkeeper featured heavily in their charge to the Europa League semi-finals as well as their other cup games.
But his £70k-a-week wages saw him pocket £3.64m despite not playing a single minute in the Prem.
2. JOE HART
Ex-Manchester City keeper Hart warmed the bench at Turf Moor last season with the Lancashire club funnelling him £45k-a-week for his services.
Having picked up £2.34m for the year at Burnley, the 33-year-old has recently signed a deal at Spurs but with Hugo Lloris in front of him top flight game time will be equally hard to come by.
3. JOSE IZQUIERDO
Brighton’s Colombian left-back suffered a severe knee injury in May 2019 which saw him out until last month.
His £45k-a-week earnings also saw him net £2.34m while on the Seagulls’ treatment table.
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4. ARTUR BORUC
Bournemouth’s Polish stopper made the bench for each and every one of the Cherries’ relegation campaign.
But he was still paid £40k-a-week to be backup to Sheffield United’s new keeper Aaron Ramsdale.
5. BEN GIBSON
Gibson has now moved to Championship side Norwich after failing to register a Premier League minute under Sean Dyche last season.
But the £2.08m he earned will have made his Clarets freeze out easier to swallow.
6. CUCO MARTINA
The barely known 30-year-old right-back made the bench just three times at Everton last season but still took home £35k-a-week for his troubles.
7. JOHN RUDDY
Wolves’ backup keeper found the excellent Rui Patricio an immovable object at Molineux but was paid £1.82m to provide competition for the year.
8. HENRI SAIVET
Who?
Me neither. The £35k-a-week Senegalese hasn’t even been in a Newcastle squad since December 2017 when he scored against West Ham.
9. HEURELHO GOMES
Former Watford keeper Gomes is now without a club but Ben Foster’s understudy at the relegated hornets is £1.82m better off for the experience.
10. LEE GRANT
Red Devils goalie Grant has played just twice for United’s first team since his 2018 switch from Stoke and never in the Premier League.
He is paid £30k-a-week to be No3 at United and could even be FOURTH choice this season with David De Gea, Dean Henderson and Romero on the books.
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
