Manchester United have struggled for consistency this season, with only an FA Cup and a top-four spot up for grabs.
Although change has been occurring behind the scenes, Sir Jim Ratcliffe is keen for the squad to push for those goals, with some players and staff jobs under inspection.
However, there are new aims from an off-field perspective, with incoming CEO Omar Berrada being set the challenge of managing player wages.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at a player who’s cost the club millions despite barely stepping foot on the pitch.
Tom Heaton’s salary
Tom Heaton joined Man United from Aston Villa on a free transfer after the end of the 2020/21 season, with the experienced shot-stopper signed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as a backup to David De Gea and Dean Henderson.
The England keeper was third choice in between the sticks, and seeing as the position is hardly rotated, his involvement over the years has been far from frequent.
According to Capology, the "outstanding" Heaton, as per creator Liam canning," is currently earning 45k-per-week, which is £5k less than Alejandro Garnacho and just over four times more than young Kobbie Mainoo.
This means that the 37-year-old will have cost the club around £7m in wages over his three year contract, which is set to expire this summer.
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De Gea had been the number one keeper at Old Trafford for the past decade, but in the summer, United decided to let the Spaniard leave on a free, as Erik ten Hag looked to complete an overhaul of the department.
Due to the exit of De Gea and Henderson moving to Crystal Palace, Heaton enjoyed his best spell in a United shirt, playing four games in pre-season and even captaining the side against Athletic Club.
However, the Dutch boss brought in last season’s Champions League runner-up, Andre Onana, to be the new number one while also signing Altay Bayindir to be his backup, which has meant Heaton hasn't been seen on the pitch since.
The veteran's lack of involvement this season has kept his total competitive appearances to three since 2021, making only two starts, both in the EFL Cup last season. This equates to over £2m earned per appearance and approximately £3.5m per start.
Caoimhin Kelleher
£10k
Djordje Petrovic
£25k
Altay Bayindir
£35k
Tom Heaton
£45k
Stefan Ortega
£55k
As can be seen in the table above, when compared to other second-choice keepers in the Premier League – bearing in mind that Heaton is third-choice – he is far from the highest earner, but he’s also not exactly the lowest either.
Furthermore, the likes of Ortega, Kelleher, and Petrovic all play important roles for their team, with them featuring in nine, 17, and 17 games, respectively. Even Bayindir earns less than Heaton, which could be looked at as a positive due to the fact that United seem to be working on reducing player wages, which is certainly a step forward.
Wage Burners
Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.
Overall, Heaton hasn’t really offered much to warrant a £45k-per-week contract, but in fairness, he’s not really been handed an opportunity to prove his worth.
