Just a correction on the list...as you can tell this topic is one I keep hearing about!
McArthur - not out of contract, signed new deal
Schlupp - not out of contract, signed new deal
Kelly - not out of contract, signed new deal
Of the out of contract players...
Benteke - 29 appearances - 30 years old - £120,000 per week
Sakho - 4 appearances - 31 years old - £100,000 per week
Cahill - 18 appearances - 35 years old - £75,000 per week
Dann - 15 appearances - 34 years old - £60,000 per week
Clyne - 13 appearances - 30 years old - £60,000 per week
Wickham - 0 appearances - 28 years old - £60,000 per week
van Aanholt - 21 appearances - 31 years old - £55,000 per week
Townsend - 32 appearances - 29 years old - £55,000 per week
McCarthy - 14 appearances - 30 years old - £50,000 per week
Hennessey - 0 appearances - 34 years old - £40,000 per week
Ward - 24 appearances - 31 years old - £35,000 per week
Henderson - 0 appearances - 33 years old - £11,500 per week
We also released Max Meyer in January who was on £80,000 per week and Batshuayi will also go back to Chelsea, he is on £90,000 a week and we are covering the majority of it.
The bolded ones I'd be renegotiating with on the right terms but as you can see our wage bill in comparison to actual contribution and player age is truly dire. 3 or 4 smart signings with a similar profile to Eze and some astute loans will more than fill the gap left by the vast majority of these non-contributing/high wage players. It really is an opportunity for us and not something to fear; if I was a Manager looking at the job in-depth I'd be quite excited by it, especially with the U18s and U23s doing so well and the new Cat 1 academy in place.