Five things Sanchez’s Sh71m weekly salary at Man United can do for Kenyan sports
The British media on Thursday reported that Alexis Sanchez is all set to become the highest paid player in the English Premier League’s in an impending move from Arsenal to Manchester United.
Reports on The Sun, and the Daily Telegraph indicate that the Chilean striker would earn between 400,000 and 500,000 pounds (Sh56.8million and Sh71million) a week before tax by moving to Old Trafford.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has also hinted that Sanchez will ‘likely’ join Manchester United in a four-and-a-half-year contract.
“I worked on transfers for 30 years so it is likely to happen, but at any moment it can break down,” said Wenger at a news conference in London on Thursday.
But what is it that Sanchez’s weekly wage at Manchester United – if he secures the deal – can do for Kenyan sports?
1. More than enough to run either Gor Mahia or AFC Leopards for a whole year – Sanchez’s impending weekly wage is more than what either Gor Mahia or AFC Leopards were receiving from SportPesa before the gaming firm withdrew sponsorship this month.
SportPesa were reportedly offering Leopards Sh45 million and Sh55 million Gor Mahia annually.
2. Pay the salaries of Harambee Stars coach Paul Put and his technical director Anders Spiers for an entire year.
3. The player’s monthly wage of Sh284 million would be enough to fund the Kenya Rugby Sevens team for a full year. Shujaa are currently on the verge of pulling out of the prestigious IRB Sevens circuit owing to a lack of funds.
4. Sanchez’s monthly salary would also be enough to fund the entire ongoing renovations at the Nyayo National Stadium.
The 30,000 seater facility has remained closed for the past four months for the replacement of the playing turf, erection of a new VIP stand, placement of new electronic screens and making the venue an all-seater stadium.
5. The player’s annual salary of Sh3.4 billion would be enough to build one of the five state-of-the-art stadiums promised by President Uhuru Kenyatta in his 2013 pre-election pledges. One stadium is estimated to cost Sh2.5 billion.