Last updated on July 17th, 2025
The English Premier League (EPL) is not only the most popular football championship in the world, but also a real financial giant. Thanks to billion-dollar TV deals, agreements with global brands, and unprecedented popularity among fans, Premier League clubs can afford to pay their players huge sums of money. Footballers’ contracts, especially the highest salaries, have long been a subject of constant interest for both fans and the media. These are not just numbers — they are an indicator of the status, influence, and ambitions of clubs. Just as players look for the Best Online Slots with the highest payouts, clubs compete for players with the best “return on investment” — those who can deliver both sporting and commercial results. In this article, we take a look at which Premier League players earn the most, why they top the list, and what lies behind these contracts.
General trends in Premier League contracts
Over the past decade, the English Premier League has become the main financial player in world football. The average salary of footballers is skyrocketing, and today even rotation players receive fees that were only available to superstars a decade ago. For example, as of 2024, the average salary of an EPL player exceeds £60,000 per week, and in top clubs it can reach £150,000–£200,000 per week.
The key driver of this growth is television rights revenue. The Premier League has some of the most lucrative broadcasting contracts in the world, both in the domestic British market and abroad. Match rights are sold to over 180 countries, and television revenues for clubs are estimated at billions of pounds annually. Added to this are lucrative sponsorship deals with brands such as Nike, EA Sports, and Coca-Cola, which bring additional revenue to clubs.
Another important factor is the league’s global popularity. Thanks to its star-studded lineup, dramatic matches, and strong marketing, the Premier League has become a brand that attracts millions of viewers, fans, and investors from around the world. This creates competition for the best players, which in turn drives up salaries.
Compared to other leading European leagues, English clubs are ahead in almost all indicators. In La Liga (Spain), only top clubs such as Real Madrid and Barcelona can compete with English giants in terms of salaries. In Serie A (Italy), the wage bill is much more modest, and in the Bundesliga (Germany), spending policy is more restrained. Thus, the Premier League not only leads in terms of salaries, but also sets the financial standard for European football as a whole.
Top 10 highest-paid Premier League players
In the Premier League, the highest salaries are earned by players who are not only key figures on the pitch but also commercially valuable stars for their clubs.
- Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City, who earns an estimated £400,000 per week. He is considered one of the best midfielders in the world: he consistently performs at a high level, directs the team’s attack, and has remained loyal to the club for many years. His contract reflects not only his skills but also his leadership and influence on the game.
- Mohamed Salah of Liverpool — approximately £350,000 per week. The Egyptian striker is not just a prolific footballer, but also a global star, especially in the Middle East. His commercial value, cult status among fans, and decisive goals make him one of the most expensive players in the Premier League.
- Casemiro, who moved to Manchester United from Real Madrid, also earns around £350,000 per week. His experience, trophies, and consistent performances in midfield have made him an important figure in the Red Devils’ rebuild.
- At Chelsea, one of the highest-paid players is Raheem Sterling, who earns around £325,000 per week. The Englishman, who has extensive experience in the Premier League, was signed as the leader of a new project and remains influential both on and off the pitch.
- City player Jack Grealish earns an estimated £300,000 per week. His transfer from Aston Villa was one of the most expensive in English football history. In addition to his skills, he is also the commercial face of the club, particularly in sponsorship campaigns.
- Marcus Rashford of Manchester United has a contract worth around £300,000 per week. As a product of the club’s youth academy and one of England’s biggest stars, he plays a key role not only on the pitch but also in the club’s social and marketing positioning.
- At Arsenal, Kai Havertz, a former Chelsea player, earns around £280,000 per week. The German footballer is versatile, plays in several positions, and is part of the club’s long-term strategy. His salary also takes into account the commercial interest in the German market.
- Romelu Lukaku, who is currently on loan, still has a contract with Chelsea worth £275,000 per week. Although he is not playing for the London club, the contract remains in force.
- Ederson of Manchester City earns approximately £160,000 per week. His ability to play with his feet, which is important to Pep Guardiola’s style, and his consistency between the posts make him one of the most valuable goalkeepers in the league.
- Alisson Becker of Liverpool has a salary of around £150,000 per week, which is also very high for a goalkeeper. His reliability, leadership in defense, and ability to make key saves have repeatedly helped the team win games.
Thus, the highest contracts in the Premier League are held by players who not only excel in terms of performance or skill, but also bring global attention and marketing opportunities to their clubs and symbolize their teams’ ambitions.
The most expensive transfers and how they affect contracts
In modern football, a high-profile transfer is almost always accompanied not only by a large transfer fee, but also by an impressive contract for the player himself. However, the relationship between the transfer fee and the salary is not always proportional, as many factors influence the final amount: the player’s age, position, the remainder of their contract with their previous club, the ambitions of their new club, and even market strategy.
Take, for example, Jack Grealish, who moved from Aston Villa to Manchester City in 2021 for a then-record £100 million for an English player. Immediately after the transfer, he signed a contract worth £300,000 per week. In this case, the club not only paid a large transfer fee, but also guaranteed the player a star salary — both for commercial reasons and to justify the investment in the future.
Another example is Enzo Fernández, who Chelsea bought from Benfica in 2023 for around £106 million. Despite his young age, the Argentine midfielder immediately received a long-term contract with a salary of approximately £150,000–£180,000 per week. In this case, the club invested with an eye on development and potential rather than immediate leadership impact. The high transfer fee was not accompanied by a top-star salary, demonstrating a flexible approach to budgeting.
The third example is Declan Rice, who moved from West Ham United to Arsenal in 2023 for a club record £105 million. He became a leader from his first games and received a contract worth over £250,000 per week. His salary is lower than that of some players with less high-profile transfers, but it clearly matches his status as a key player and captain both on and off the pitch.
Thus, although big transfers often mean high salaries, this rule is not set in stone. Clubs can use different strategies: either pay for everything up front (as in the case of Grealish) or focus on potential and spread the cost over time (as with Fernandes). The transfer fee is more of a signal of expectations than a guarantee of a “golden” salary.
Salaries of young stars and newcomers
Despite the overall financial glamour of the Premier League, young talents and newcomers often start their careers with much more modest salaries, even if they have bright potential. Top clubs have a clear policy of limiting starting contracts for young players to avoid “star syndrome” and encourage progress through sporting achievement.
Players under the age of 21 usually sign their first professional contracts with a base salary in the range of £10,000–£25,000 per week. This may seem like a lot of money, but in the context of the Premier League, it is quite modest. At the same time, such contracts often include a dynamic bonus system — for the number of games played in the starting lineup, first goals, call-ups to the national team, etc.
Clubs such as Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, and Arsenal try to control the salary expectations of young players through gradual increases. Even if a player becomes a star at the start of their career, clubs usually wait for a “trial” period before reviewing the contract on more favorable terms. For example:
- Kobbie Mainu (Manchester United) is a midfielder who burst into the first team at the age of 18. Initially, his salary was around £10,000 per week, but after a series of successful matches in the 2023/24 season, the club offered him a new contract worth £30,000–£50,000, with further prospects for growth. Main also receives additional bonuses for starting, scoring, and participating in European competitions.
- Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United) — The Argentine winger signed a new contract in 2023 after breaking into the first team. His new salary is estimated at around £50,000 per week, making him one of the highest-paid young players at the club. This is recognition of his importance to United’s future, but at the same time, the contract is still far from the level of the top stars.
- Callum Palmer (formerly Manchester City, now Chelsea) — After moving to Chelsea for around £40 million, Palmer received a significant pay rise. At City, he earned approximately £20,000–£25,000, but at Chelsea, his contract is now estimated at £80,000–£100,000 per week, which is an exception to the rule — the club has made a serious bet on him.
Thus, even in the richest league in the world, young players are initially offered cautious terms. This allows clubs to maintain financial discipline and avoid situations where young players receive million-dollar salaries without consistent play. However, for the most talented players — such as Main, Garnacho, and Palmer — the path to star salaries can be very short if they continue to develop and perform well.
Contracts for goalkeepers and defenders — less stardom, less money?
There is a certain pattern in the world of football: attacking players, especially star strikers or playmakers, usually earn higher salaries than goalkeepers or defenders. The reason is their direct impact on the result, goals, assists, and marketing appeal. However, this does not mean that defenders or goalkeepers cannot earn big money, especially if they are key players or have leadership qualities.
Goalkeepers often earn less, but there are exceptions. For example, Alisson Becker of Liverpool and Ederson of Manchester City have contracts worth £100-150k per week. This is justified by their consistent play, leadership at the back, and ability to start attacks. David De Gea of Manchester United was once one of the club’s highest-paid players (over £350,000 per week), although this was more the exception than the rule.
Defenders usually have higher salaries than goalkeepers, especially when it comes to world-class full-backs or center-backs. For example, Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool earns around £220–250k per week. This is not only due to his defensive play, but also his leadership, influence on the organization of the entire team, and even his threat in set pieces.
While attackers such as Mohamed Salah or Erling Haaland have incomes exceeding £300–400 thousand per week (excluding bonuses), defensive players rarely reach such sums. However, if a defender has outstanding physical and technical qualities, plays for a big club, and is an indispensable part of the team, he can also claim a generous contract.
Future changes: salary regulation, FFP, and the influence of Saudi Arabia
The financial side of football is developing rapidly, and with it, the need for stricter regulation of salaries and transfers. In the English Premier League and other top leagues, new control mechanisms are already being actively discussed, which could significantly affect club salary budgets.
Introduction of a salary cap
One of the main topics in recent years has been the idea of introducing a “salary cap” — an upper limit that a club cannot exceed when calculating salaries for players. This mechanism is designed to prevent excessive spending, reduce financial inequality between clubs, and ensure more sustainable development of the industry.
There is no official salary cap in the Premier League yet, but in some other leagues — notably MLS (USA) — this practice has been in place for a long time. It forces clubs to think strategically and manage their resources effectively. In the UK, proposals to introduce such a cap have emerged in the context of the fight against excessive club debt and dangerous levels of investment by individual owners.
The impact of financial fair play (FFP)
The financial fair play rules introduced by UEFA are designed to force clubs to live within their budgets by limiting spending on salaries and transfers in line with their revenues. The UPL and the Premier League are also introducing similar rules.
FFP forces clubs to plan player contracts more responsibly and avoid uncontrolled transfer spending. Failure to comply with the rules results in fines, transfer bans, or even exclusion from European competitions. This puts additional pressure on clubs with large wage budgets.
Competition from Saudi Arabian and MLS clubs
In recent years, the global football market has undergone significant changes due to the activity of clubs from Saudi Arabia and MLS. Saudi clubs, backed by huge state-level investments, offer incredibly high salaries and bonuses to attract top players — often exceeding the capabilities of European clubs.
MLS, although limited by a salary cap, is also actively attracting stars in their “golden phase” of their careers by offering stability and marketing prospects.
This competition is forcing European clubs to rethink their strategies for retaining stars, raise salaries, or offer more favorable contract terms. At the same time, it could be a catalyst for the introduction of stricter regulatory mechanisms to maintain balance and competitiveness.
Conclusion
The highest salaries in the English Premier League are earned by players who combine high skill, influence on the team’s results, and commercial appeal. These are mainly attacking stars, club leaders with consistent results and a global image. At the same time, goalkeepers and defenders, although they earn less on average, can also receive significant contracts if they are key to the club.
Football today is not just a sport, but also a powerful business and show business. Awareness of the commercial side of football will help viewers better understand why contracts are so large and perceive the game not only as a battle on the pitch, but also as part of the global entertainment industry.
