Sunderland: Which players are Kyril Louis-Dreyfus estimated to be paying the most weekly? | OneFootball

A closer look at which players Kyril Louis-Dreyfus is estimated to be paying the most at Sunderland.

Sunderland have been operating on a low wage bill since Kyril Louis-Dreyfus completed his takeover of the club in February 2021.

Louis-Dreyfus and director of football, Kristjaan Speakman, have taken a sensible approach to spending at the Stadium of Light and have implemented a sustainable budget when it comes to recruitment and players' salaries.

The approach taken by the club's hierarchy must be praised as Sunderland's demise down the English pyramid was largely due to misspending during their ten-year Premier League stint.

Jack Rodwell's salary was rightly in the spotlight, given his lack of impact on the pitch; the midfielder was reportedly earning £70,000-per-week.

According to Capology, Chris Mepham is estimated to be the club's highest paid player, but it is not known what percentage of his wage Sunderland are paying. The website estimates that Alan Browne, Dan Ballard and Salis Abdul Samed are the next highest earning players.

Alan Browne one of Sunderland's highest earners

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Browne is estimated to be one of Sunderland's highest earning permanent players at the club on £15,000-a-week, according to Capology.

As one of the more experienced heads at the club, it would be expected for Browne to be earning more than his teammates. Browne arrived at Sunderland on a free transfer, following his departure from Preston North End, where he spent over ten years.

At 29 years of age, the central-midfielder brought vast experience and leadership to a team that was lacking in it. His transfer represented a slight change in approach to recent transfer windows, where the club had largely targeted youth.

The singing of Browne appears to have been a shrewd one. Although the Republic of Ireland international has missed several games due to injury, he has impressed when he has played in the heart of Sunderland's midfield.

Dan Ballard's new contract makes him one of Sunderland's highest earners

Despite being linked with a Premier League move in the summer, Ballard put pen to paper on a new contract extension, which will run until the summer of 2028.

According to Capology, Ballard is the joint highest earning permanent player at the club, along with Browne, at an estimated £15,000-per-week.

Keeping Ballard at the club was a significant boost for the club, given he had caught the eye of clubs like Everton and West Ham. Over the last few seasons, the centre-back has developed into one of the leading defenders in the Championship.

The Northern Ireland international has had a turbulent start to the season due to injuries. Having missed the opening two games of the season, Ballard made two starts for the Wearsiders, and gave away a crucial penalty in the loss to Plymouth Argyle.

Despite his mistake, Ballard is an integral member of the Sunderland side and will likely have a major influence on the side's promotion push this season.

Salis Abdul Samed one of the big earners at Sunderland

Along with Browne and Ballard, Abdul Samed is also earning an estimated £15,000-a-week, according to Capology. However, it must be noted that the midfielder is currently on a season-long loan from RC Lens, and it is unknown how much of his wage Sunderland are picking up.

Although the defensive-midfielder is yet to make an appearance for the club due to injury, it is likely that his debut will be on the horizon.

The Ghanian international arrived in high esteem, having played a major part in Lens' 2022/23 Ligue 1 campaign, where they finished second and one point behind Paris Saint Germain.

Abdul Samed has also appeared at a World Cup and has shared a pitch with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé and Bruno Fernandes.

As the Championship season gathers pace, the midfield general should benefit from more minutes as he looks to establish an influence over the Black Cats.

While Mepham is estimated to be the highest earning player at the club, it is unlikely that Sunderland are paying all of his estimated £35,000-a-week wage, according to Capology.

estimated to be earning £15,000-a-week, although he is on loan.