It is no secret that those at the top of the food chain are becoming richer, but the gulf between themselves and those at the foot of the table continues to grow. Nothing highlights this disparity more than player renumeration, so we take a look at the highest wage bills in the Premier League to see just how far behind the lesser clubs are falling.
The Premier League is heralded as the most competitive division in world football, and perhaps the hardest to win.
That very fact is continually challenged by Manchester City, who have monopolised the league for five out of the past six seasons.
Of course, the league’s onerous reputation is built on the palpable verity that anyone is capable of beating anyone, but when all is said and done the wealthiest institutions prevail.
With that in mind, the highest wage bills in the Premier League often serve as a good indicator as to the likeliest challengers for spots in the upper echelons.
Highest Wage Bills in the Premier League
5. Liverpool – £128,804,000 Per Annum
Comparative to the traditional ‘Big Six,’ Liverpool are known to be slightly more frugal than some of the elite free spenders.
Given their success under now-ex-manager Jurgen Klopp over the past decade, the club have managed to cultivate a healthy culture of loyalty with a core group of players who still remain.
The futures of some of these loyal generals continue to be questioned, however, with the club’s highest earners Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold all in the final years of their contracts.
Salah, who is by far and away their most biggest earner at £325,000-per-week, has been the subject of proposals from Saudi Arabia worth three times that.
It has also been reported that Real Madrid are prepared to offer Alexander-Arnold an extra £10m per-year compared to his current Liverpool contract, so the club may be forced into tabling bumper new terms for one of their prized assets.
Highest Earning Liverpool Players
Player |
Weekly Wage |
| Mohamed Salah | £325,000 |
| Virgil Van Dijk | £220,000 |
| Trent Alexander-Arnold | £180,000 |
| Andy Robertson | £160,000 |
| Alexis Mac Allister | £150,000 |
4. Chelsea – £171,210,000 Per Annum
Flicking through Chelsea’s contract list is fascinating; only one player in the first team squad has a contract that ends before 2027.
The board’s decision to amortise player wages over long-term contracts is their way of circumventing increasingly stringent PSR rules.
It is no secret that Chelsea have been Europe’s most frivolous spenders under the Clearlake Capital-led ownership, but it is interesting to note they managed to trim a significant chunk of their wage bill over the summer window.
This has freed them up to offer new arrivals such as Joao Felix and Pedro Neto contracts in excess of £150,000 per-week.
Questionable contracts still remain however, with the likes of exiled Ben Chilwell collecting £200,000 per-week while the permanently sidelined Reece James remains the club’s highest paid player.
Highest Earning Chelsea Players
Player |
Weekly Wage |
| Reece James | £250,000 |
| Ben Chilwell | £200,000 |
| Wesley Fofana | £200,000 |
| Christopher Nkunku | £195,000 |
| Enzo Fernandez | £180,000 |
3. Arsenal – £172,146,000 Per Annum
Steady matchday revenue and a healthy brand image have left Arsenal with considerably more economic breathing space, with Stan Kroenke now funnelling even more capital into an ambitious project.
Just five players in the first team list are on less than £100,000 per-week, which is reflective of the club’s growing stature as potential title contenders.
The board have also sought to lock down their most indispensable players, with only Jorginho and Thomas Partey currently in the final year of their respective contracts.
Highest Earning Arsenal Players
Player |
Weekly Wage |
| Kai Havertz | £280,000 |
| Gabriel Jesus | £265,000 |
| Declan Rice | £240,000 |
| Martin Odegaard | £240,000 |
| Thomas Partey | £200,000 |
2. Manchester United – £185,580,000 Per Annum
Nothing typifies the haphazard spending of the Glazer family more than the fact soon-to-be 33-year-old Casemiro is the club’s highest earner at £350,000 per-week.
The new INEOS-led ownership have made it one of their chief missions to correct years of grossly overpaying players, setting in motion what they call a “significant cost rationalization program.” This has sadly seen off-the-field staff made redundant, including cutting Sir Alex Ferguson’s ambassador role worth £2.16m per-year.
It is also interesting to note that the club’s most effective threat this season, Alejandro Garnacho, earns just £50,000 per-week; that is four times less than the worryingly ineffective Antony.
Highest Paid Manchester United Players
Player |
Weekly Wage |
| Casemiro | £350,000 |
| Bruno Fernandes | £300,000 |
| Marcus Rashford | £300,000 |
| Mason Mount | £250,000 |
| Antony | £200,000 |
1. Manchester City – £201,864,000
Manchester City’s unprecedented success on the pitch has fuelled breathtaking revenue off it, although their ongoing legal battle over 115 alleged financial breaches continues to bubble under the surface.
Nevertheless, the best team in the world warrants a substantial wage bill to match, and that is certainly the case.
Kevin De Bruyne’s £400,000-a-week wage makes him the highest paid player in the Premier League, while nine players on £200,000 or above is the largest proportion in the division.
Highest Paid Manchester City Players
Player |
Weekly Wage |
| Kevin De Bruyne | £400,000 |
| Erling Haaland | £375,000 |
| Jack Grealish | £300,000 |
| Bernado Silva | £300,000 |
| John Stones | £250,000 |
