Footballers who play for England earn a fortune as does manager Gareth Southgate but their gas and electric bills are also supersize and here's why
Footballers who play for England earn a fortune as does manager Gareth Southgate but their gas and electric bills are also supersize and here's why
England player Kyle Walker is a top earner which is just as well as his annual gas and electric bill is £16,200 a year
England defender Kyle Walker has the highest energy bills of his fellow Three Lions team-mates — paying about £16,200 a year to heat his mansion, run his swimming pool, fish tank and personal waterfall, according to research from Uswitch.com, the comparison and switching service.
Walker’s £3 million Cheshire home has six bedrooms, a football-themed games room and a hot-tub, making his energy bills 15 times the average household’s £1,125-a-year costs. Thankfully, his £110,000-a-week estimated salary means he can pay off his bill in little more than a day’s work. The Manchester City star’s home measures about 860m2 — approximately nine times the size of the average 90.18m2 UK house. Walker could save a £3,245 if he moved from a standard variable tariff to one of the best fixed deals on the market[.
England manager Gareth Southgate’s US home also features in the Uswitch league table. His 16th century mansion, cinema, wine cellar, plus a two bedroom detached cottage and a barn costs £11,200 in gas and electricity per year even though he doesn’t have as many mod cons or gimmicks as his players’ homes. Older homes can be more expensive to heat, requiring 200kWh per m2 compared to 100kWh for a new build.
France and Manchester United ace Paul Pogba has the second biggest bill, estimated at £14,300 in gas and electricity for his Cheshire home. Adding to his power costs are an indoor football pitch with electronic scoreboard and LED lighting. His Old Trafford team-mate David de Gea — one of ten Premier League stars in the Spanish squad — spends an estimated £14,100 powering his home plus outdoor pool, home cinema and electric security gates.
Other notable footballers’ homes include Wales star Gareth Bale’s Vale of Glamorgan mansion with its six high-ceiling bedrooms, and England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford’s Chesire pad, which includes a jacuzzi, a cinema with starlight ceiling, and a hi-spec multi audio room.
England and Man City team-mate John Stones spends an estimated £15,900-a-year on energy bills for his £3 million pad, which has six bedrooms, five reception rooms, five bathrooms, a sauna, cinema and leisure complex, plus an indoor pool that costs £5,000 to heat annually.
Among Three Lions legends, Wayne Rooney clocks up an estimated £16,000 a year powering his six-bedroom home in Knutsford, Cheshire, with its two elevators, hot tub and electric vehicle charging point. David Beckham’s 770m2 £5 million Cotswolds home has estimated annual bills of £11,400.
Football pundit Harry Redknapp is leading the way when it comes to reducing his bills and encouraging renewable power. Mr Redknapp recently downsized from a seven bedroom residence in Sandbanks to a new-build five-bedroom solar-powered eco-home in Poole, Dorset. It’s estimated Harry’s solar panels are saving him about £240 a year — although his bill is still estimated at £12,500 a year.
Sarah Broomfield, energy expert at Uswitch.com, says: “If you’ve ever opened your energy bill in horror then spare a thought for those who made this list. But famous footballer or not, there’s always a benefit to keeping down the amount of energy you use at home.
“Sometimes it can be as simple as closing windows, turning off lights when you leave the room, and turning down the thermostat. Switching tariffs is another great way to keep those utility bills down. If you’re on a standard variable tariff, you can save good money by switching to a fixed deal, so do a search online and compare what deals are out there.”