Itumeleng Khune is the highest paid player in the Absa Premiership, and his return to Kaizer Chiefs saw his salary bumped up even more. However, he has spent a large portion of the season sidelined through injury, therefore, costing the club more than R200k each time he plays.
The mid-year transfer window saw havoc break out over Khune's future. The club had declared that he had been released, only for the player to return to the team back in July after failing to find a new PSL outfit to join.
It was reported that Khune's audacious wage demands was the main reason for Chiefs deciding to let him go for free, before an agreement was finally concluded, in which Khune decided to cut the asking price to his current income.
The shot-stopper is said to be earning roughly R470 000, about R30 000 to R40 000 more than his salary last season, therefore, making him the top earner in the South African football fraternity.
This is a massive sum of money to dish out to any player who plays week in and week out, let alone to a player who has become highly injury prone in recent years – making it even pricier!
So far this season, Khune has turned out just 11 times for the defending champions across all competitions, and it has been revealed that it is unlikely he will play in 2015 again because of his latest injury.
In essence, Khune has made R2.82 million since his return to Naturena, meaning Chiefs have paid him about R256 300 for every occasion he has made it on to the field this season.
The more the 28-year-old plays after the turn of the new year, the more this figure will reduce and the club will be getting more value for their money.
For instance, if "Itu" had to play all 30 league games, four MTN8 matches and four Telkom Knockout fixtures for Chiefs this season, he would have cost the Motaungs about R148 400 for each of those 38 fixtures. However, that cannot be the case, for obvious reasons.
This is massive money Chiefs are dishing out for someone who is sidelined quite often. Do you think Amakhosi management made the correct decision with Khune's wages?
