Dominic Solanke’s excessive contract demands have put Chelsea in a lose-lose situation. Either they show that such baseless stunts are effective, or let a talented prospect go to a Premier League rival.
Dominic Solanke has a unique view on contract negotiations. Most people would think that one Chelsea first team appearance two years ago and 25 appearances for Vitesse Arnhem do not amount to strong leverage. Even when you add in his two FA Youth Cups, UEFA Youth League and 63 goals for Chelsea’s academy, few people would think this warrants £50,000 per week.
Yet Solanke is demanding just that. Since Chelsea are not “pay Dominic Solanke £50,000 per week” dumb, Solanke will likely leave the club when his contract expires at the end of this season. The Daily Mail speculates that his over-the-top demand is just that, and that he will settle for £35,000 per week.
Solanke’s intransigence (arrogance? delusion?) places the only club he has ever known in a bind. Chelsea know full well how good he is and good he will be. They know they cannot cave to his demands. But that does not mean they will be happy to see him playing for a Premier League rival.
"It does appear he is trying to force his way out… He’s doing the same thing Paul Pogba did at Manchester United. The way to say ‘I want out’ is to make demands that are too high. – Barrett Rouen, The Blue Lions"
Dominic Solanke’s contract demands stem from his lack of playing time at Chelsea. Solanke knows that he would be starting at nearly any club in England other than Chelsea, and could displace any starting striker in England other than Diego Costa and a very few others. He could well sign for a Premier League title-contender like Liverpool, an ambitious and off-the-cusp club like Everton or a club that knows how to develop young players like Borussia Dortmund.
The roots of the Solanke situation go deeper than the individual player. Solanke and the current dilemma are another consequence of Chelsea’s haphazard development and loan policy.
"For every success there are 10 failures. Dominic Solanke is an excellent footballer and will be an excellent footballer… We have again found the most expensive way possible to alienate our own players. The loan system is the most bloated and expensive way ever for the club to alienate his own players."
Whoever acquires Solanke will get him at an absolute bargain. Because he is out of contract and an academy-bred player, Chelsea will receive about £8 million for a player who would be worth much more on the open market.
The Blues can treat Solanke’s bluff for what it is and match other clubs’ offers of £30-40,000 per week. However, that would do little for Solanke’s playing time. Even with the new contract he would still be behind Costa, Batshuayi and possibly Tammy Abraham and Bertrand Traore.
It would also send the message that baseless demands and heavy-handed negotiation ploys are effective at Stamford Bridge. Antonio Conte certainly is not interested in granting “player power” to untested Academy graduates.
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As jarring as the Solanke situation is, this did not arise overnight. Solanke has been with the club since he was a U-8. Somewhere along the line, someone should have predicted this day would come and done something – almost anything – to prevent it from getting this far. Unfortunately, this is part of the Chelsea way and Solanke will not be the last.