With packed fixture schedules and little in the way of recovery time, top tier competition is about so much more than a starting XI these days.
For the most part, Leeds United tend to buck that trend a little, and having used just 23 senior players over the course of last season's Premier League campaign, it’s clear that Marcelo Bielsa tends to prefer a tight-knit squad.
Even taking that into account, however, there were some players who – whether it be through injury or other reasons – were on the club’s books without making much of an on-field impact.
But which benchwarmer cost the Whites the most money for the least output last term?
New research from OLBG has discovered the Premier League players who were paid the most but played the least in 2020/21.
Click and scroll through their findings for each club below…
1. Burnley - Anthony Driscoll-Glennon
Weekly wage: £900
Annual salary: £46,800
Minutes played: 0
Earning per minute played: £46,800 (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images) Photo: Gareth Copley
2. Wolves - Lewis Richards
Weekly wage: £2,000
Annual salary: £104,000
Minutes played: 0
Earning per minute played: £104,000 (Photo by Alex Burstow/Getty Images) Photo: Alex Burstow
3. Arsenal - Folarin Balogun
Weekly wage: £2,300
Annual salary: £119,600
Minutes played: 0
Earning per minute played: £119,600 (Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images) Photo: Paul Harding
4. Sheffield United - Wes Foderingham
Weekly wage: £6,000
Annual salary: £312,000
Minutes played: 0
Earning per minute played: £312,000 (Photo by Jon Super - Pool/Getty Images) Photo: Pool
5. Southampton - Sam McQueen
Weekly wage: £8,000
Annual salary: £416,000
Minutes played: 0
Earning per minute played: £416,000 (Photo by ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP via Getty Images) Photo: ADRIAN DENNIS
6. West Ham - David Martin
Weekly wage: £8,400
Annual salary: £436,800
Minutes played: 0
Earning per minute played: £436,800 (Photo by Jordan Mansfield/Getty Images) Photo: Jordan Mansfield