Junior Firpo was someone who Leeds United wanted to keep going into this season. But Gabriel Gudmundsson is so far proving to be an upgrade.
Junior Firpo was one of the stars of last season for Leeds United. The Dominican international played a starring role in the second half of last season eventually featuring 32 times in the Championship, scoring four and assisting 10.
Inevitably, his future was a huge talking point. His contract expired last summer and whilst Leeds United offered Firpo a new contract, reported for big money, he clearly fancied a move elsewhere.
In the end, Firpo signed for Real Betis on a free transfer and he’s since featured four times in La Liga, with one assist to his name. Whilst a loss for Leeds United, summer signing Gabriel Gudmundsson is doing a fine job in Firpo’s absence.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty ImagesJunior Firpo was actually earning more at Leeds United than Dominic Calvert-Lewin
During the summer transfer window, Leeds United spent £100million on new players. Dominic Calvert-Lewin though signed on a free, but the 49ers are investing heavily in the 28-year-old who was a big-earner at Everton beforehand, and is no doubt a big-earner at Elland Road now as well.
Some reports have suggested that Calvert-Lewin is earning £100,000-a-week at Leeds United. Speaking to Leeds United News, chief transfer correspondent Graeme Bailey has suggested that the £100,000-a-week suggestion isn’t too inaccurate, adding that Calvert-Lewin is actually earning more than Firpo was at Leeds.
Bailey revealed: “I don’t know what he’s on. I don’t imagine that’s [£100k-a-week] too far wide the mark. England international who signed on a free transfer. Any player Leeds sign will have a relegation clauses. He’s on less than Junior Firpo was. Bear that in mind.”
Firpo not signing a new contract now seems like Leeds have dodged a huge bullet, especially considering how much better Gudmundsson looks in the Premier League compared to how Firpo looked.
Photo by Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images
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What was Junior Firpo earning at Leeds United?
Leeds have certainly taken a gamble on Calvert-Lewin. His injury record is patchy to say the least, so too his goals record in the last few seasons. But Daniel Farke has handed him a three-year contract and Calvert-Lewin scored his first goal for Leeds United in the win against Wolves last time out, so there’s hope that he prevails.
But it may be safe to assume that he’s not earning as much as he was at Everton beforehand, and per a previous report from The Athletic, every player’s wage will drop by around half if the club are relegated this season anyway.
Per Capology though, Firpo was earning an incredible £60,000-a-week at Leeds United last season, which for a Championship club is crazy, and for a player who wasn’t exactly a ringer in the side is also crazy.
So Calvert-Lewin is surely earning somewhere between that £60,000-a-week mark and the £100,000-a-week. But if he can score the goals that keep Leeds up this season then it doesn’t matter how much he’s earning.