In time, it may prove to be money well spent. In time...
Aston Villa shelled out £7mfor Adama Traore over the summer in one of the slew of signings made under Tim Sherwood.
The 19-year-old Spaniard was bought from Barcelona as Villa fended off interest from other Premier League suitors. Barca insisted on a contract clause that will see them get first option to buy Traore back if he ever - for some reason - would like to leave the Birmingham club.
The teenager, who has made five appearances for Villa so far, is currently on £40,000 a week but another clause should see that salary almost double.
But the
Daily Telegraph has learned that Traore's weekly income will rise to £75,000 once he surpasses a set number of appearances. The paper believes that number could be as low as 10 games.
Traore did not even make the Villa squad for Wednesday's 2-1 Capital One Cup loss to Southampton but the winger should be looking at playing his 10th Villa game before the year is out.
When he does, he will become the club's highest earner.
