'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Premier League clubs boast some of the highest wage bills in Europe at the moment. This is due to the fact that the league has grown a lot in the last few years in terms of its revenue generation, its popularity and its competitive nature.
Due to this, many world-class players are attracted to the Premier League and are keen to ply their trade in England. Due to the revenue generated, many of these Premier League clubs can afford to sign these players and can offer them high wages.
This has enabled the Premier League to start dominating in European competitions in recent years. It has also moved way ahead in terms of revenue generation as compared to Serie A, Bundesliga and La Liga.
Trending
Premier League clubs who boast the huge wage bills
While other domestic leagues are financially-crippled by the pandemic, Premier League clubs have continued to spend big in the summer by bringing in quality players. As such, the wage bills of English clubs have also seen a significant rise.
Here, we take a look at the five clubs who currently boast the highest wage bill in the Premier League.
Note: All wage bills are as listed on Spotrac.com
#5 Arsenal - £114,965,273
Arsenal have not lived up to expectations post the departure of Arsene Wenger and their struggles on the field have really piled up in recent years.
The Gunners have failed to finish in the top four of the Premier League since Wenger left and even failed to qualify for any European competition last season, finishing eighth. But this hasn't stopped Arsenal from splashing the cash on big players and offering them high wages.
Striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is the club's highest earner with a weekly salary of £250,000. Thomas Partey is second to Aubameyang as he earns £200,000.
Willian, who has struggled at Arsenal since joining them last summer, is the club's third-highest earner, with a weekly wage of £192,308. One of Arsenal's summer signings, Ben White, is the club's sixth-highest earner, with a wage of £120,000.
Arsenal have been the highest spenders among Premier League clubs in the transfer market this summer. As a result, Mikel Arteta's men were expected to challenge for the top four. However, they have lost all three of their opening matches in the league this season without scoring a goal. Things will need to improve quickly if the Gunners want to be anywhere near Champions League qualification.
#4 Liverpool - £135,818,000
Jurgen Klopp has transformed Liverpool into one of the best sides in the Premier League and Europe in recent years. The Reds managed to win their first Premier League title in 30 years in the summer of 2020 while they also won the Champions League for the sixth-time in their history the year before.
Liverpool have only spent heavily on Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker to reinforce their backline in recent seasons. Most of the other players have developed into world-beaters under Klopp's management.
Liverpool's entire squad is on decent wages, with Van Dijk being the top earner at £220,000. Thiago Alcantara and Mohamed Salah are behind him with a salary of £200,000 each. Roberto Firmino bags £180,000 while Sadio Mane takes home a salary of £100,000. Meanwhile, summer signing Ibrahim Konate is on a modest wage of £70,000 per week.
Van Dijk is back in the team after missing the majority of last season due to an ACL injury. The trio of Salah, Mane and Firmino have also shown signs of clicking together in the opening two games against Norwich City and Burnley.
With key players picking up form, Liverpool are once again expected to mount a Premier League title challenge this season.
#3 Manchester City - £149,032,000
Manchester City rank third on the list of Premier League clubs with the highest wage bills. City have made some brilliant signings in the last few years and boast arguably the best squad in the Premier League. They have an unbelievable mix of talented youngsters and experienced campaigners.
Under Pep Guardiola's guidance, the club has managed to win three of the last four Premier League titles. Manchester City also broke the record for the most expensive line-up in football history when they faced Spurs on the opening weekend of the season.
The reigning Premier League champions recently broke the British transfer record for Jack Grealish, who became the club's joint second-highest earner at £300,000 per week alongside Raheem Sterling.
City's star midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is their highest earner, bagging wages of £400,000-per-week. John Stones, who recently signed a new five-year contract, is the fourth highest earner in the squad with £250,000-per-week.
Despite starting their Premier League campaign with a defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, City have bounced back with successive 5-0 wins over Norwich City and Arsenal. As such, they are still favorites to retain the Premier League title this season.
However, with other teams having improved their squads, Guardiola knows he will have his work cut out this season.
#2 Chelsea - £155,114,000
Chelsea have spent heavily in the transfer market since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003. They have always looked to bring in the best players at the club. So it is no surprise that they have the second-highest wage bill in the Premier League. This has definitely benefitted them as they have been the most successful English club in the 21st century.
The Blues recently won the UEFA Champions League in May before going on to lift the UEFA Super Cup earlier this month. They currently boast one of the best squads in the Premier League.
Although Chelsea have not been extremely busy in the transfer window, they have brought back one of the most in-form strikers in Romelu Lukaku to the Premier League.
The Belgian is now the highest paid player at the club, with a wage of £325,000 per week. N'Golo Kante and Timo Werner follow him with wages of £290,000 and £272,000 respectively while Champions League final hero Kai Havertz earns £150,000 a week. Academy starlet Mason Mount is on a modest wage of £88,000 while Reece James bags just £58,000 per week.
Chelsea boast a squad that is more than capable of challenging for the Premier League title. They have already made a brilliant start to the new season, winning their games against Crystal Palace and Arsenal in comfortable fashion. With confidence running high within the club and the squad, fans will expect a lot from Thomas Tuchel and Chelsea this season.
#1 Manchester United - £228,986,200
Manchester United have failed to win the Premier League title since Sir Alex Ferguson left the club. They have come close on one or two occasions but have always been pipped by another team for the title. However, there is certainly a sense of optimism among fans this summer, with players like Raphael Varane, Jadon Sancho and Cristiano Ronaldo arriving at the club.
Following his dramatic return to Old Trafford, Ronaldo is the highest-earner at Manchester United, earning £510,000 per week.
Goalkeeper David De Gea is the second-highest earner at the club, with wages of £375,000 per week. It's certainly high for a player whose performances have not been up to the mark in recent years.
Summer signings Jadon Sancho and Raphael Varane are behind De Gea with wages of £350,000 and £340,000 per week respectively. The likes of Paul Pogba, Edinson Cavani and Anthony Martial also earn wages above £250,000.
Bruno Fernandes, who has made such a huge impact at the club with his talent and leadership since joining in January 2020, only makes a relatively lesser wage of £180,000.
Manchester United's wage bill definitely seems to be a bloated one and might need trimming in order to balance the books in the future.
Putting that aside, United definitely have some of the best players in the Premier League. If Ole Gunnar Solskjaer can find the right balance, get consistent performances from key players and rotate the squad efficiently, the league title could finally return to Old Trafford.
