“It’s an honour I drink from your dairy” – Ex-Middlesbrough star hilariously recalls how teammate Fabrizio Ravanelli refused to pay milkman despite once being highest-paid player in Premier League

Once the Premier League's highest-paid player, Fabrizio Ravanelli was reportedly reluctant to pay his milkman as revealed by his former teammate at Middlesbrough, Craig Hignett.

Ravanelli joined Premier League side Middlesbrough in 1996 as Bryan Robson's side spent €7.5 million on the player after he helped Juventus lift the UEFA Champions League the previous season, scoring five goals for the Bianconeri.

The club's owner, Steve Gibson, made the Italian the highest-paid player in the Premier League, giving him a salary of £42,000 per week.

Despite earning a hefty paycheck, the Italian was unwilling to pay his milkman a weekly sum of £4.5. While speaking on the "Under The Cosh" podcast, here's what Hignett said:

"The milkman came to his house and went, ‘I need the milk money.' Rav come to the door. 'I’ve come for the milk money. You’ve had Monday, Tuesday, nothing Wednesday, Thursday, Friday - £4.50’.

"Rav went, ‘No, no, no, no no.’ He (the milkman) said, ‘Is there a problem?’ He (Ravanelli) said, ‘Yes, it’s an honour I drink from your dairy.’ Deadly serious. £4.50. The fella’s on 42 grand a week!" (h/t dailystar.co.uk)

However, Hignett added that Ravanelli was an absolutely brilliant player for the Premier League side. That said, Hignett said that Ravanelli not paying the milkman was not a one-off incident as he used to do the same while eating out:

"The food would come and he’d eat it, and then at the end of it he’d click his fingers and get the young lad up for the bill. And he’d give him the bill, and he’d make the waiter stay there. He’d open this bill out and he’d look down it, and then he’d look at the waiter.

"And he’d look back at the bill, and he’d look at the waiter, and he’d look back at the bill, and he’d go, ‘No, no, no, no, no.’ And he’d stand up, and he’d point to all the bits of food he hadn’t eaten. ‘Didn’t like that, don’t like that, didn’t like that. I only pay for what I eat.' And then bump, off it goes."

Former Premier League star Fabrizio Ravanelli tried to avoid his phone bills

Ravanelli had two stints in the Premier League, first with Middlesbrough and his second with Derby County. While both teams eventually got relegated from the league, the player managed to make his mark in terms of individual performances.

However, he was not too keen to pay his phone bills during his time at Middlesbrough, which were sponsored by Cellnet. Ravanelli used to make international calls to his spouse and get a hefty monthly bill.

Hilarity ensued once again when he tried to convince Charles Porter, the man in charge of handling the player's financial accounts, that he shouldn't pay any bills.

Craig Hignett revealed a training ground incident, saying:

"Fabrizio turned around and he went, ‘How many goals have I scored this month?’ Charles went, ‘Well you’ve scored five this month. You had the hat-trick against Liverpool and you’ve scored two more - that’s five.’

"He (Ravanelli) said, ‘Yes, and what do I do when I score a goal?’ And if you remember, he lifts his shirt over his head and he runs off. He (Charles) said, ‘Well you lift your shirt up.’"

Hignett continued:

"He (Ravanelli) said, ‘Yes, and what’s on my vest?’ And he used to wear a vest with Cellnet on it. Charles said, ‘Well it’s Cellnet.’ 'How many goals again?’ ‘Five.’ ‘Right, I charge Cellnet £2,000 for advertising. You owe me £5,000’.

"It’s the first time I’ve heard anyone go, I’m not giving you that, f*** off. You owe me money! And he was deadly serious."