How much money do top football players earn?

“Some probably are overpaid.” Four words from an extensive interview with Manchester United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe reflecting his ideas about the club’s first team players. Echoing the thoughts of many fans and pundits. Thoughts that are by no means exclusively reserved for United players.

Debate about player salaries tend to arise when performances go awry. Or when financial challenges arise. Both apply to the Red Devils currently, as to many other clubs. In a bid for success, clubs offer players – who could potentially help bring success – long term and high value contracts. Yet, adaptation to the club and success are never guaranteed.

With those uncertainties, how do clubs determine how much salary to pay to players? What factors play a role? And how have salaries changed over time?

Revenue increased, as did wages

Football has grown immensely over the years. As revenue increased, clubs could also spend more. Which they did. In 1996, total wage costs by European topflight clubs amounted to €1.5 billion. It absorbed 54 percent of the €2.8 billion generated in revenue. By 2000, wage costs had already more than doubled (€3.6 billion) and by 2015 it had surpassed €10 billion.¹

In 2023, topflight clubs spent €18 billion on wages. 12 times as much as they did in 1996. It absorbed 67 percent of the total revenue generated. 13 percent points more than it did in 1996. Indicating that while both revenue and wages grew significantly between those years, the increase in wages outpaced revenue’s growth.

Wage costs consist of wages for both playing and non-playing staff. Together with non-wage operating costs (2023: €9.1 billion) they form the clubs’ overall operating costs.

In 2023, 73 percent of total wage costs was reserved for players. With €13.2 billion this absorbed 49 percent of revenue. A year prior, clubs spent €12.8 million on players’ wages. Compared to 2019 (€11.4 billion), player wage costs have increased by almost 16 percent.

In recent years, the division of total wage costs between playing and non-playing staff has changed, with non-playing staff starting to play a slightly bigger role. In 2009, data suggested around 84 percent of clubs’ wages were reserved for playing staff. While this was 73 percent on average in 2023. Non-player wages have increased significantly in recent years due to wage inflation and the hiring of more non-player staff to cover extra commercial endeavours.

The Big Five leagues’ clubs account for 75 percent of player wages

There are of course differences between leagues. Not least because of the size of leagues and the extent to which they have grown over the years. The 98 clubs from the Big Five leagues tend to make up the bulk of the overall player wage costs. In 2023, they accounted for 75 percent of the player wage costs of all European topflight clubs.

Of the Big Five leagues, Premier League clubs spend the most. In 2023, they spent €3.502 billion on player wages. 76 percent more than La Liga clubs, who spent the second most with €1.986 billion. The German, Italian and French topflight leagues were the only other leagues whose clubs combined spent over €1.4 billion on player wages.

The wage gap between England and the other four leagues continues to widen. Where Premier League clubs’ wages increased by eight percent in 2023, it rose by three percent in both France and Germany. La Liga and Serie A clubs spent less than the season prior.

Non-Big Five leagues

Amongst European topflight clubs outside the Big Five leagues, Belgian clubs spent on average the most on player wages in 2023 (€22 million and €391 million on aggregate). Ahead of the Russian (€21 million) and Turkish (€20 million) leagues. With Scottish topflight clubs spending on average €10 million.

Several second-tier leagues can financially match non-Big Five topflight leagues. In 2018, the Championship had the sixth highest average clubs’ wages (player and non-player) with €35.1 million. While German second tier clubs earned €12.7 million on average. Showing that they have the financial power and will to (over) spend significantly on player wages. And thus, compete with smaller topflight leagues for the services of players.

Clubs in England’s third and fourth tiers spend quite a lot on wages, and thus player salaries, as well. With League One clubs spending on average £8.0 million during the 2022/23 season. Twice as much as League Two clubs did with £4.0 million.²

Wage costs gaps

As revenue often limits or even dictates what clubs can spend, the major differences between revenue generated translates into how much clubs can and will spend on players. For the 2022/23 Premier League clubs this is no different. The Top Six generated the most revenue, accounting for 57 percent of overall revenue. At the same time, they accounted for half of the Premier League clubs’ total wage costs.²

Manchester City had the highest wages with £422.9 million. 4.3 times as much as the lowest wage bill of Brentford (£98.8 million). For the Championship the ratio of the highest to the lowest wage bill was even higher with 5.5 to one.

Wage gap in the Premier League & Championship²

In their bid to be competitive, it is mostly smaller clubs that tend to overspend on transfer fees and player wages relative to their income. From the Premier League Top Six, only Chelsea’s wage costs absorbed over 70 percent of their revenue (79 percent). Amongst the other 14 clubs, 11 spent more than 70 percent of their income on wages.

Even amongst the best performing clubs in European competitions – all with more than enough revenue – wage costs can differ significantly. Also, over time. In 2024, PSG had the highest wage costs with €658 million.¹ Almost 12 times as much as the club spent on wages in 2009 (€55 million). An immense growth partly driven by on-field success, including 10 Ligue 1 titles, and employing star players earning high salaries (e.g. Neymar, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappé). Inter Milan spent €232 million on wages in 2024. A significant amount, yet only 35 percent of PSG’s wage bill. Contrary to PSG, their wage bill is only slightly higher than in 2009 (€206 million). It even decreased significantly in intermediate years.

What is included in player wages?

All clubs want quality players who improve their chances of achieving success. Yet, this requires more spending on both transfer fees and financial compensation to the player. The latter consists of various components. In addition to salaries (fixed amounts), player wages cover costs such as signing and performance bonuses, social security contributions, pension contributions and even exit payments.

Since revenue – and therefore wage budgets – partially depend on on-field success, most clubs offer contracts including performance related pay. This means that there are year-to-year fluctuations in wage costs in line with on-field performances. For larger clubs, performance related bonuses tend to make up 15 to 25 percent of their overall wages.¹ In 2009, player wages were already split in a 78 percent fixed and a 22 percent variable component.

Performance related pay

Performance related pay comes in many forms. Bonuses for playing a certain number of matches or minutes, for avoiding relegation or for winning promotion or silverware. Manchester City reportedly paid around £35 million in bonuses to players after winning the Treble in 2022/23. Including £20 million for winning the Champions League and £15 million for winning the Premier League and FA Cup. With the bonus system structured on players’ contributions, individual rewards differed, with top players earning more.

By winning the Champions League, La Liga and Spanish Super Cup in 2023/24, Real Madrid players each received around €1.4 million in bonuses. When they achieved the same feat two seasons prior, the players received around €900,000 each. For several years the club only awarded bonusses for winning silverware. Which functioned as an extra incentive to win prizes, which they did. However, recently players reportedly each received a €250,000 bonus for reaching the 2024/25 Champions League quarterfinal.

When Burnley won promotion to the Premier League in 2025/16, the club paid £11.3 million in bonusses to players and staff. While Sheffield United players are said to have received bonuses between £250,000 and £400,000, depending on their contributions, when they won promotion to the Premier League in 2023.

At lower levels, bonuses are just as well part of player wages. During the 2021/22 season, Wrexham AFC – playing in the National League at the time – had a promotion budget of £250,000. With players receiving an extra £200 per play-off win and £50 per play-off draw on top of average weekly wages of around £1,000 to £1,500.

Social security and pension contributions

Manchester United’s total employee benefit expenses increased by 10 percent to £364.7 million for the year ending 30 June 2024.³ Which was mainly caused by an increase in performance related pay as the men’s first team participated in the Champions League rather than the Europa League. It increased total wages and salaries to £316.3 million. 86.7 percent of their overall employee expenses.

Apart from these fixed and performances related payments, clubs also pay social security and pension costs for players. United paid £41.4 million in social security costs and €5.0 million in pension cost in 2023/24. Which accounted for 11.4 and 1.4 percent of total employee benefit expenses. They also made £2.0 million is share-based payments. Which are normally not paid to players, unless they possess shares.

Included in overall employee costs are player and non-player employees. In 2023/24, United employed 1,140 long term employees of which only 136 were players (men and women). Commercial, media, and administrative employees accounted for 71 percent (811). Despite this division, most of a club’s employee benefit expenses are reserved for the men’s first team.

Rival Manchester City has less commercial and administration staff (381 accounting for 62 percent of all employees).⁴ City spent £359.2 million in wages and salaries. Which accounted for a similar share of total employee benefit costs (87.1 percent) as for United. Another 12.5 percent of their expenses were incurred for social security costs (£51.5 million). While pension costs (£1.4 million) and share-based payments (£475,000) accounted for 0.3 and 0.1 percent respectively.

Manchester City & Manchester United’s employee benefit expenses in 2023/24^3,4

Top 5 highest paid players of the Premier League Top Six

City’s high wages have increased even further after Erling Haaland signed a record 10-year contract in January 2025. The Norwegian striker reportedly earns £27.3 million gross per year.⁵ Ahead of teammate Kevin De Bruyne’s annual salary of £20.8 million. Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah and Manchester United midfielder Casemiro are said to each earn £18.2 million annually. In makes them the Premier League players with the highest base salaries, excluding any performance related pay, in 2024/25.

Manchester City pays their top five highest earners combined £94.64 million in base salary annually. Most amongst the Premier League Top Six. Ahead of Manchester United (£66.82 million) and Arsenal (£63.7 million). Liverpool and Chelsea each spend around £55 million. While Spurs limits these costs to £41.6 million.

Amongst the Top Six, City and Liverpool have the most variance in what they pay to their five highest earners. For Liverpool this is caused by Salah (£18.2 million), who earns significantly more than the second highest earner Virgil van Dijk (£11.44 million). Notable is that three of their key players – Salah, van Dijk, and Trent Alexander-Arnold – are their highest earners and are running out of their contracts at the end of the 2024/25 season.

Factors influencing wage levels

Players’ quality is the most important factor in determining wages. Demand for quality players is high, yet there is limited supply. Apart from competition between European (top) clubs, there are ‘emerging’ market players. Like the Saudi Pro League, whose clubs have the financial means to compete with the biggest leagues and clubs, in offering players high value contracts.

More competition generally results in clubs having to pay more in both transfer fees and wages. Especially when they are looking for a player for a specific position or with specific qualities. During the 2024/25 winter transfer window, for example, City felt forced to spend on new players. They spent around £180 million on transfer fees, adding defenders, midfielders and attackers. After Rodri’s long-term injury, City was especially on the lookout for a defensive midfielder. On deadline day, they brought in Nico González from Porto for €60 million (his release clause). Much higher than his estimated market value of €18 million. The Spaniards’ annual estimated gross base salary more than tripled from just under £1 million to £3.12 million.

Potential played a role in his transfer fee and the salary offered, but City’s need for a defensive midfielder was just as important in determining the financial details. By paying his release clause, City avoided lengthily bargaining. A contract detail, like contract length and salary level, that influences how much new clubs must pay in transfer fees and salaries. Many players are understandably unwilling to lose guaranteed future income and will thus not move to a new club if they cannot earn the same or more. Something that has led to many standoffs between clubs and players (e.g. Gareth Bale at Real Madrid).

When players do run out of their contracts and there is demand for their services, they have a lot of bargaining power. This oftentimes leads to high signing bonuses, but it can also be reflected in how much wages they can secure.

Position influences salaries

Another factor influencing salary levels (and transfer fees) is a player’s field position. With clubs generally willing to pay more for forwards and midfielders than for defenders and goalkeepers.

Amongst the 10 highest earners (estimated gross base salary) of each of the Big Five leagues (n=50), 42 percent are forwards. Another 32 percent of these high earners are midfielders. 18 percent of them play in defence. With the remaining eight percent being goalkeepers.

The centre forward position has the most players (10) amongst the highest earners. However, while four central forwards are amongst the top 10 in England, none are in France. Seven centre midfielders are amongst the top earners, the second most by any position.

Wage policies

There are clubs who have strict policies on what salaries and contract length they offer to players at certain ages. Liverpool, for example, are said to have strict financial and duration limits when it comes to contracts for players over 30. Which was one of the reasons why Georginio Wijnaldum ultimately left.

Those principles are under strain now with Salah and van Dijk, both over 30, running out of their contracts this season and having a bargaining position.

Messi’s Barca contract leaked

Having principles in place about transfer fees and salaries and keeping to them is in the best interest of clubs’ long-term financial health. Yet, it is difficult. Especially when it involves key players. Barcelona is just one of many clubs that have been in a challenging financial situation in recent years after spending (too) much on transfer fees and wages. It resulted in them losing Lionel Messi on a free to PSG in 2021 as they could not afford to renew him.

An eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and academy product, Messi contributed immensely to the club’s prosperity, both on and off the field. It was therefore expected that Barcelona paid dazzling sums to retain him throughout the years. However, when Messi’s contract was leaked in January 2021, the financial details still caused quite the stir.

Messi could potentially have earned €555.2 million across his final four seasons at the club. Annually this amounted to around €138.8 million gross and €74.9 million net. With compensation received in the form of a fixed salary, performance related bonuses, daily allowances, compensation for private trips and seniority and loyalty bonuses. Apart from the labour details, the contract also stipulated compensation for image rights.

By signing the contract, Messi received a renewal bonus of €97.9 million. A signing fee, even few of the most sought-after free agents will come close to receiving. Another signing fee concerning his image rights amounted to almost €17.3 million. While he also received several loyalty bonuses for remaining at the club during those four contract years.

Annually, Messi reportedly received a fixed salary of over €72 million (€61.3 million for labour and €10.8 for image rights). The performance related bonuses could reach up to €15.6 million per year. Including around €1.7 for playing over 60 percent of the matches. Qualifying for the Champions League earned him a similar amount. Winning the competition would have resulted in another €3.5 million. A La Liga title equated to almost €2.4 million in bonuses.

Spending constraints

Messi received backlash when the contract details were revealed, with many holding him responsible for Barcelona’s financial woes. Yet, it was the club who offered him the contract. Given Barca’s financial challenges in recent seasons, it would have been more financially sound management had they spent less on wages (and transfer fees). Yet, like them, many clubs go beyond their financial means or what is smart, in a bid to get the or retain their best players and hopefully success.

Overspending on wages, relative to revenue, is not uncommon. In 2022/23, one Premier League club (Leicester City) spent more on wages than they generated in revenue. In the Championship, there were 10 clubs with a wages-to-revenue ratio of over 100 percent. This despite a ratio of 70 percent or less generally being considered healthy. By this measure, only one 2022/23 Championship club would have been considered financially healthy. In the Premier League, eight clubs met this criterion.

Number of Premier League & Championship clubs with a wages/revenue ratio of…²

To protect clubs and create a financially healthier football market, governing bodies are introducing financial regulations. No hard salary cap as is the case in the MLS, but limits on spending in relation to generated income. UEFA, for example, introduced squad cost regulations in 2023. After gradual implementation it means that from the 2025/26 season onwards, clubs can only participate in UEFA competitions if their spending on player and coach wages, transfer, and agent fees remains below 70 percent of their generated revenue.

The first market wide effects of these regulations seem positive. They will not stop players from receiving immense salaries, nor clubs from testing the boundaries of what is financially healthy. But they will at least guide clubs in pursuing success more wisely.