Chelsea look set to be burdened with the £130,000 wages of out-of-favour skipper Gary Cahill until June at least as a loan move away for the former Bolton man has failed to materialise.
Cahill, 33, is settled in London, according to reports from the Evening Standard, and didn’t wish to take up any of the offers that have come in from other parts of the country. He didn't, either, wish to leave to anywhere unless his current wages were covered in full.
The England international hasn’t been selected by coach Maurizio Sarri since November but will now opt to sit tight and make a free agency move in the summer.
Another English talent who hasn’t been seen to best effect at Stamford Bridge, Danny Drinkwater, will stay at the club past the close of tonight’s window also.
The former Leicester City man, 28, hasn’t appeared since the Blues’ first game of the season in the Community Shield and has been linked with a move away. According to these same reports, though, his only real options were switches abroad, which did not appeal.
Drinkwater earns a reported £100,000 with the West London club.
Sarri made it quite clear recently that Drinkwater was not a cog that he could fit into his Chelsea machine.
“He's a very good player,” the Italian said.
“But I think he is more suitable for playing with two midfielders.
"He is not a central midfielder, he is not a centre-right in the midfielder with three players. But he's a very good player in a 4-4-2."
Despite this stated difficulty, Drinkwater isn’t budging. The continuing presence of the midfielder then, along with Gary Cahill, will run Chelsea £230,000 a week after the close of the window.
That’s £920,000 a month, the guts of one million pounds a month.