Swansea midfielder Jonjo Shelvey looking for a personal chef

Some footballers buy a luxury sports car with their exorbitant wages; others splurge on designer clothing, expensive bottles at a night club, or classical works of art.

But Swansea City midfielder Jonjo Shelvey is opting to splash the cash on a personal chef - in part to keep himself in tip-top shape, but also to alleviate the dull routine of his day-to-day culinary experiences.

"Chicken and broccoli; that's all I will eat," Shelvey admitted to Sky Sports columnist Johnny Phillips. "I do need to try other food. My missus is always on at me to try other things. She gets fed up with cooking me chicken and broccoli."

Shelvey said getting his own nutritionist and cook was one of the things he and his agent discussed during contract negotiations with the club's chairman and manager. While he says the chef will be well-paid, Shelvey corrected reports that the chef's salary will be £65,000.

"My agent is interviewing a few chefs at the moment. ... We felt the main area of my game that needed improving was my fitness and that stems from what you eat," Shelvey said. "I'm hoping we'll have one in very soon and it will be interesting to see how it goes. I'm looking forward to trying it out."

Shelvey struggled with fitness over the course of the last Premier League season. While he hasn't been horribly inconsistent, the 23-year-old Englishman says he's looking to improve.

"I didn't do the whole fitness thing properly last year. ... I don't want to finish the game with any regrets and look back thinking I could have done this or that better. If I'm fit I can go and stamp my authority on the game for 90 minutes and not just 70 minutes before the manager subs me off."

Shelvey said his newfound desire to improve his personal form and fitness comes after added competition on Swansea's roster.

"I got a bit too comfortable last season because I knew I would be playing every week," Shelvey admitted. "This season is a bit different as there are two people competing for every position and if you're not performing well then this manager won't pick you.

"I want to make sure I give myself the best chance of playing."