Romain Esse’s wage at Crystal Palace compared to Coventry City’s highest earners | OneFootball

How does Romain Esse's weekly wage at the Premier League side match up with his potential new teammates at Coventry?

Romain Esse looks likely to be heading back to the Championship one year after signing for Crystal Palace from Millwall.

League leaders Coventry City are leading the charge to bring in Esse on loan for the rest of the campaign, with manager Frank Lampard "hopeful" of making the 20-year-old his first addition of the window, per a report from John Percy.

The one-time England U-21 international impressed in his breakout campaign during the first half of last season while at the Den, prompting the FA cupholders to spend an initial £12 million on him last January.

With that came a large wage hike from what Esse was earning at Millwall as a teenager, and his return to the second tier would see him among the top end of the earners' list if Coventry proves to be his destination.

How much Romain Esse earns at Crystal Palace, and where it would land him in the Coventry City ranks

Per Capology's estimations, Esse signed a five-year contract last January at Crystal Palace, which sees him earn £15,000 per week.

Ultimately, for a Premier League side, and an established one at that, at Selhurst Park, that amounts to a small percentage of the overall wage bill.

At Coventry, Esse would go from a small fish in a big pond to the projected sixth-highest earner at the club.

Once again, according to Capology's estimates, the Sky Blues' wage bill has four stars, Luke Woolfenden, Matt Grimes, Ellis Simms and Haji Wright, topping the charts at £25,000 per week, with summer arrival Kaine Kesler-Hayden behind them, earning an estimated £20,000 per week.

Coventry haven't tasted the top flight since the 2000/01 campaign, and have fallen as far as League Two since then. Therefore, their wage bill isn't as high as past promotion challengers, who have recently come down from the Premier League and subsequently have players on top-flight wages.

But, after a little wobble over the Christmas period following an electric start, Frank Lampard's side needs that boost going into the second half of the campaign.

He may need to look at bringing in some players who, like Esse, would land amongst the higher earners at the club to maintain their title bid.

Romain Esse would add to an already frightening frontline at Coventry City

Coventry already has five players with six or more goals in the Championship this season as we enter 2026. Injury issues have emphasised rotation up there, and there's an expectation that Esse can contribute to continuing their attacking dominance in the second half of the campaign.

The 20-year-old scored four at Millwall in the opening half of the 2024/25 season and was a threat throughout under both Neil Harris and Alex Neil. Now, with an extra year under his belt, he's well-positioned to continue where he left off at the Den with the current league leaders.

It's been a frustrating calendar year for Esse at Palace, with manager Ollie Glasner not deeming him ready to make the transition from the Championship into the top flight like Michael Olise and Ebere Eze did before him, resulting in him making just 16 senior appearances for the Eagles in 2025.

Now, he'll have a chip on his shoulder and a point to prove that he is, indeed, top-flight quality, and if that translates on the field at Coventry, if a deal is made, then it'll be a win-win for both parties, and the Sky Blues will feel that Esse was well worth the wages covered to bring him in.