Four ‘£100K-a-week’ stars could be at Everton next season after ‘massive’ update – expert
Kevin Phillips fears Everton will be stuck with a “massive financial burden” if relegated this season.
Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, the ex-Premier League striker claimed it will be “difficult” to get rid of high-earners as potential suitors will be reluctant to match players’ current wages.
According to The Athletic (17 March), only some of Everton’s squad have relegation clauses in their contracts.
The Daily Mail have claimed (8 March) Yerry Mina, Andre Gomes, Jordan Pickford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin all earn in the region of £100,000-a-week on Merseyside.
The Toffees are already in a precarious financial position.
An Everton source told Football Insider (21 March) that the club are “frightened” of being sanctioned by the Premier League after crippling losses in recent years.
When asked if there would be an exodus of big-name players were the Toffees to go down, Phillips told Football Insider:
“If they were to go down, financially, it would be a massive burden on the club if they have to pay players £100,000-a-week.
“You’d like to think Everton could just sell them but who is going to pay that sort of money? Unfortunately, when a player is on that sort of money, it can be difficult to get rid of them. The player will not want to take a pay cut.
“It is imperative that Everton pick up results and stay in the Premier League.”
In other news, a pundit has claimed ‘Lampard is mistaken’ as is set to blow ‘last hope’ of keeping Everton in the Premier League.