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Football has become a costly sport with all the TV deals, corporate sponsorship and government intervention. Transfers have become increasingly expensive and players are paid an insane amount of money to switch their allegiance. Influence of money in football is at its peak and it is beginning to dictate things.
Some of the highest paid athletes in the world are footballers and players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar are earning close to £500,000-a-week. Clubs are forced to balance their books and they do so by paying a lot less to the young deserving players. Some clubs have a strict wage structure while others intentionally underpay.
Let's see about some of the most underpaid footballers in the world right now.
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#10 Harry Kane (£120,000-a-week)
Harry Kane is Tottenham's goal machine - both in the Premier League and across all competitions. He has won the Golden Boot in the last two seasons, 2015/16 and 2016/17, netting 25 and 29 goals respectively.
The 23-year-old Englishman has already totalled 84 goals in 123 games across England's top-flight. Without his influence in the attacking third, it's fair to say that Spurs wouldn't have earned a Champions League place in successive seasons either.
He has already made an impressive start to the current campaign, with 13 goals in 14 appearances. Tottenham offered him a new £120,000-a-week deal last year, making Kane their highest earner. Debates continue to be made though Kane has established himself as one of the world's best strikers.
Despite this, he earns significantly less than many other top strikers in the division such as Romelu Lukaku, Sergio Aguero and Chelsea's summer acquisition Álvaro Morata. Spurs do have a strict wage structure though, meaning they cannot match what their rivals are actively able to pay players.
Kane has been tirelessly linked with many top European clubs over the last few summers and if any of these cash-rich clubs come knocking on the door, it's hard to imagine Kane remaining in north London for much longer.
#9 Alexis Sanchez (£130,000-a-week)
Arsenal's Alexis Sanchez made the headlines during this past summer transfer window as he made clear his desire to leave - with sides like Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain eagerly interested in the Chilean's services.
The Gunners understandably didn't want to let their talisman leave - even reportedly offering a club-record wage of £300,000-a-week to convince him to sign an improved deal.
However, Alexis rejected the offer. At present, he's still sitting at £130,000-a-week, which is considerably less than some of the Premier League's top players.
Sanchez joined Arsenal after a successful three-year stint with La Liga giants Barcelona. Shortly afterwards, he became a fan favourite and has been the club's best player for the last couple of seasons too.
With 74 goals in 152 appearances for the Gunners, he's undoubtedly one of the best in the division and earned the PFA Fans' Player of the Year award for 2015.
Many top European clubs have expressed interest in signing Sanchez and he is expected to leave the club next summer as a free agent. Arsene Wenger still hopes the 28-year-old remains at the Emirates, though his contract negotiations were handled poorly and this could prove to be a very costly mistake in future.
#8 Radja Nainggolan (£70,000-a-week)
The 29-year-old Belgium international is one of the best midfielders in Europe at the moment. He joined Roma during the summer of 2014 and soon became an integral part of their squad.
A typical box-to-box midfielder with pace, stamina and aggressive tackling in his armoury, he can play anywhere across midfield and has the capability to help both defensively and in attack too.
He currently earns £70,000-a-week which is significantly less than the club's highest earner, in Stephan El Shaarawy. He has been one of the most sought-after players in recent seasons, with a whole host of European sides interested in his services - including both Chelsea and Manchester United.
He has been selected twice in the Serie A Team of the Year over the past three years and can definitely be an asset to Europe's finest. With his passing abilities, vision and the strengths detailed above, there's no reason why he should be earning such low wages in comparison to players like Barcelona's Paulinho and Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera.
#7 Christian Eriksen (£75,000-a-week)
The Denmark international is one of the key members of Mauricio Pochettino's Spurs side. He helped Tottenham to a third-place finish in 2015/16 and second last season.
He was Tottenham Hotspur Player of the Year in the 2013/14 campaign and once again last term. In 2015, he won the Danish Football Player of the Year award for the third successive year. As Spurs' chief creator in the number ten role, he's one of the most creative players across the division and has continued to develop following his switch from Ajax back four years ago.
He currently earns £75,000-a-week, which is less than some of his Tottenham team-mates like Moussa Sissoko, Dembelé and significantly less than some of the Premier League's top creators who feature for Spurs' main rivals. Among them include City's David Silva, Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho, Manchester United's Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Chelsea winger Eden Hazard.
Eriksen could easily earn twice his current wage for any of Europe's elite sides, or potentially higher. Still on the radar of Barcelona, a move abroad could occur next summer if Tottenham do not continue to progress and actually win silverware - something that has eluded their ever-improving core in recent seasons.
At 25, he's still got his best years ahead of him and Tottenham must do their best to appease his wage demands in future.
#6 Marcus Rashford (£20,000-a-week)
Manchester United wonderkid Marcus Rashford burst onto the scene at the club during Louis van Gaal's reign as manager, at the age of 18. He became an instant hit with supporters and managed to play his first full campaign under José Mourinho last term.
Having netted eight and eleven goals respectively in his first two senior seasons as a United player, he has played a significant role for the Red Devils this season to date. With three goals to his name while playing on the left flank, it's clear that he's not playing in his preferred role as the striker but continues to progress alongside other quality players.
With blistering speed, impressive dribbling and an accurate delivery from set-pieces, Rashford has plenty of potential to fulfil at the Theatre of Dreams.
Having penned an improved contract last May worth around £20,000-a-week, his existing deal expires in the summer of 2020. Considered one of the world's best youngsters, some have debated he should be in the same bracket as Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé.
However, his weekly wage is nowhere near either player. Mbappé recently signed a lucrative deal with PSG, while his French compatriot did the same with Barcelona this past summer.
United are reportedly willing to increase Rashford's wage packet and would like to tie him down to a long-term contract. Interestingly though, contract talks have been delayed recently - with speculation likely to surface about his future. There's still plenty of time left to negotiate a deal, obviously, but they cannot afford to let Rashford leave - not least at such a tender stage in his development.
#5 Christian Pulisic (£25,000-a-week)
Poster boy of American football, Christian Pulisic plays in an attack-minded midfield role for Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund. Either as a winger or in the number ten role, Pulisic continues to progress with experience in Germany and European competition at the highest level too.
He is a fantastic dribbler, regularly wins one-on-one battles on the wing and is equally gifted with both feet too. Currently, the 19-year-old earns £25,000-a-week, which runs until the summer of 2020 just like the aforementioned Rashford. He has featured regularly for Dortmund this term, while current boss Peter Bosz has publicly insisted the fact that Pulisic is key to his plans going forward.
Previously linked to a number of Europe's top clubs, Real Madrid and Liverpool are reportedly the top two options that could make a formal offer for him in future. Dortmund already lost Dembélé to Barcelona for a sum they simply could not refuse, but will be keen to avoid losing another one of their prized assets.
#4 Jan Oblak (£75,000-a-week)
Oblak is widely considered as one of the world's best goalkeepers at present, with only Manchester United's David de Gea held in higher esteem. The Slovenia international has been brilliant for La Liga side Atlético Madrid over the past two seasons and continues to impress with solid goalkeeping displays when called upon.
He has won the Ricardo Zamora Trophy for La Liga's best goalkeeper in successive seasons during the 2015/16 and 2016/17 campaigns.
Currently on a £75,000-a-week contract under Diego Simeone's management, his deal runs until the summer of 2021 and there is a hefty €100m release clause inserted within the contract to scare away interested suitors.
Despite this, there are clubs across Europe who would be willing to double his wages should they persuade him to look elsewhere. He has kept quiet about speculation and at 24, potentially has at least a decade of football left at the highest level.
Simeone's term at Atlético is gradually coming to an end, at which point, Oblak's future could become uncertain.
#3 Edinson Cavani (£115,000-a-week)
One of Europe's most prolific target men last season, Cavani netted 49 goals in 50 appearances for PSG. Deceptively agile, strong with good technique to boot, the Uruguayan is good aerially, works hard and is also comfortable in possession.
Predominantly a centre-forward, Cavani can still play across the frontline. In all competitions this term, he has been in equally impressive form with 17 goals in 16 matches to date.
He's currently on £115,000-a-week deal with the Ligue 1 giants which expires in 2020. As someone who earns significantly less in comparison to other top strikers, he may feel aggrieved and want a sufficient increase to justify his value - not least at 30, where he's reaching the peak years of his career.
Summer arrivals of Neymar and Mbappé have not stopped Cavani from flourishing in attack, instead helping him to create more chances and cause opposition defences further havoc. For a player of his quality, Cavani is definitely underpaid.
#2 Isco (£70,000-a-week)
Europe's Golden Boy in 2012, Isco was considered as one of the world's most exciting attacking midfielders. Joining Real Madrid in the summer of 2013, it took time but the creative Spaniard has gradually become an integral part of their midfield.
Skillful, a natural dribbler and accurate passer over both short and long distances, Isco's presence creates serious problems for defenders to deal with. He has helped Real to win three Champions League titles in a four-year spell, while creating chances aplenty across all competitions when given opportunities to justify his worth.
At just 25, he represents Real's present and future for years to come. The fact that he earns a mere £70,000-a-week with Los Blancos is a real surprise. In the grand scheme of things, it's ultimately not a small salary by any means but is significantly less than players like Manchester United's Jesse Lingard and City winger Raheem Sterling earn - though he's better than both.
Unlike some others in this list, Isco is not expected to leave Real anytime soon. However, you'd expect them to increase his wages to reward him after some dazzling displays.
#1 Dele Alli (£50,000-a-week)
Considered as the future of English football, Dele Alli is one of the best young midfielders that the country has produced in recent years. At just 21, he won the PFA Young Player of the Year award in consecutive seasons and for the last two years, earned a place in the Premier League's PFA Team of the Year too.
Alli has netted 39 goals for Spurs thus far and equally played a pivotal role in their success over the last two seasons, even if it has not resulted with silverware yet.
Young, quick and intelligent enough to make brilliant runs into dangerous areas in attack, he continues to mature as a player and his well-taken brace against Real at Wembley last week is a perfect example of how well he can handle big game pressure.
He currently earns £50,000-a-week at Tottenham. Not only is this wage less than many of his team-mates, but it doesn't do Alli or his quality much justice either. Considering his talent and potential to continue improving with time, he's arguably the most underpaid footballer across the world currently.
Still only 21, he's got a massive future ahead of him. Plenty of Europe's top sides continue to circle like vultures around him in an attempt to try and lure him away from Spurs - so it's imperative that chairman Daniel Levy breaks the wage structure to keep their best players, otherwise they run the risk of losing out to their rivals.
Note: Most of the player salaries are taken from totalsportek.com
