How much money Birmingham City or Derby County could have to pay Craig Dawson in wages | OneFootball

The 35-year-old earned this much per week during his time at Wolves

Craig Dawson will be on the move this summer after he was released at the end of his current Wolverhampton Wanderers contract at the culmination of the season.

A return to the Championship for the first time since the 2018/19 campaign may be on the cards, with Alan Nixon reporting that Birmingham City have registered their interest in the 35-year-old, as well as fellow second-tier side Derby County.

The former West Brom, Watford and West Ham defender may be reaching the twilight years of his career, but he would still give a lot to a Championship side in terms of experience, leadership and on-field quality.

Therefore, it's no real surprise that sides are forming a disorderly queue to bring in the veteran defender who has over 300 Premier League appearances.

Having spent the vast majority of his career playing in the top flight, Dawson has been under Premier League-level contracts for a while now, and those who want to bring in the 35-year-old may have to part ways with a decent amount of their wage bill to bring in the experienced centre-back.

Craig Dawson's estimated Wolves wage revealed following Championship interest

Craig Dawson was signed on a two-and-a-half-year deal by Wolves in January 2023.

According to Capology's estimates, Dawson's time at Molineux saw him earn £45,000 per week, placing him among the top earners at Wolves, with only ten other players estimated to be earning more than him at the club last season.

Dawson's contract at Wolves matched the one he earned at his previous club, West Ham, meaning that the 35-year-old has been on an identical wage for the past five seasons.

During that time, he enjoyed regular Premier League starts, was a key fixture in the Hammers' run to the Europa League semi-finals in the 2021/22 campaign and made group stage appearances in their eventual Conference League winning season before he was sold to Wolves.

Clearly, Dawson has earned every bit of his wage as he entered his 30s, but he may need to accept a little less if he were to venture into the Championship next season.

Craig Dawson's weekly wage may not be as hefty in the Championship next season

Whilst Dawson would likely be one of the first defenders on the team sheet for the likes of Birmingham City and Derby County next season, £45,000 per week may be a contract too steep for a 35-year-old in the Championship.

A handful of players were estimated to earn that amount, or more, in the Championship last season, including 37-year-old defender Angelo Ogbonna, so perhaps Dawson may be looking at his former West Ham teammate as a blueprint to still earning top-flight level wages in the Championship.

However, the likes of Derby County, especially, who had just four players on their books last season, discounting loan deals, earning £10,000 or more, would likely not push the boat out to bring in Dawson for that amount of money.

Birmingham may be a different story, with Tom Wagner and Co prepared to splash the cash to get into the Premier League in the 2026/27 season, in line with his current vision. But even then, spending a decent chunk of the payroll on a 35-year-old may be looked down upon as a bad decision if they do.

There's no doubting that Dawson could be a major part of a Championship side next season, but perhaps on a wage a little smaller than he has become used to earning over the past half-decade.