Top 10 highest paid players in the Premier League

As the Premier League's television broadcast deals skyrocketed in recent years, so did the amount of money each club received thanks to the equal distribution of overseas television money. It was a double-edged sword, of course, as not only did clubs have the money to spend on top players but the transfer market was also inflated as a result.

Not only that, to attract top players, clubs had to also increase their wage bill to compete for signatures. It is one of the keys to retaining players as well in a highly competitive league.

So who are the highest-paid players in the Premier League?

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#10 Alexandre Lacazette (Arsenal)

Wages: £170,000 per week

It had been a while since Arsene Wenger signed a top striker at Arsenal. Olivier Giroud and Lukas Podolski had arrived back in 2012 to replace Robin van Persie and since then there hasn't been a legitimate star leading the line.

Danny Welbeck had failed to progress while Theo Walcott has been on the decline. Wenger decided enough was enough and spent a club record £52.7m to sign Alexandre Lacazette.

The Frenchman has scored 8 goals in the league so far but more importantly he has worked well as a creative fulcrum up front with his hold-up play that helps bring Alexis Sanchez (7 goals) and Mesut Ozil (4 goals) into the final third.

It was a signing the Gunners desperately needed and adds to their squad depth.

#9 Philippe Coutinho

Philippe Coutinho

Wages: £180,000 per week

Liverpool deserve a lot of credit for the way they handled the Coutinho-to-Barcelona saga. No matter how much the Catalan club offered for the Brazilian - even as the sum went up to nine figures - the Anfield club stood their ground and claimed he was not for sale.

The Reds did not need the money. They knew his contributions on the pitch were far more important. Although he may end up leaving the club next summer, he is theirs for the season.

Coutinho had signed a contract extension that would see him stay at the club till 2022 and his performances this season will only allow Liverpool to fetch a higher transfer fee when he eventually does leave.

It's a win-win for them; Coutinho helps them in domestic and European competitions while his market value goes up and up. The Brazilian is the highest-paid player at the club but their new £75m signing Virgil van Dijk will also earn the same as him.

#8 Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Eden Hazard

Wages: £200,000 per week

He may be one of Chelsea's smallest players but he is easily their biggest star. The Belgian forward has been instrumental in two title challenges and continues to impress under Antonio Conte.

The 26-year-old may not have the numbers to match the other enterprising forwards in the Premier League this season but he has still managed to score five goals and grab two assists. His combination play with Alvaro Morata up top after Conte changed the formation to a 3-5-1-1 has also seen Chelsea become more dynamic in attack.

Howver, Hazard may not see out his contract at Stamford Bridge. His current deal expires in 2020 and he has made no move to extend it beyond that as he hopes for a call from Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid.

#7 David De Gea (Manchester United)

David De Gea

Wages: £200,000 per week

No player is more crucial to Manchester United than David De Gea is right now. The squad is still finding its feet under Jose Mourinho but there is no doubt that De Gea is truly world-class no matter which manager comes in.

The Spanish goalkeeper extended his contract at the club when a move to Real Madrid fell through on deadline day in the summer of 2015 and he has since put it behind him to put in stellar performances between the sticks.

No other goalkeeper in the league earns more than the 27-year-old and rightly so. If not for him, United may never have finished as high as they did last season and would definitely be further behind in the title race this season.

Will Real Madrid come back for him again this summer, though?

#6 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City)

Kevin De Bruyne

Wages: £200,000 per week

The Manchester City midfielder is on course to pick up the PFA Player of the Year following his performances this season and deservedly so. After 20 games in the league, he has 6 goals and 9 assists with City currently on an unbeaten run which includes an 18-match winning run!

The Belgian midfielder is what makes Pep Guardiola's team tick. Alongside David Silva, their possession game has become unstoppable to the point where teams only sit back with damage limitation on the their minds rather than attacking City.

De Bruyne is very happy at the club and has a contract until 2021 - a deal the club plan to extend and thereby improve his wages as well.

And judging by his performances, he could soon be the highest-paid player in the league a few years down the line.

#5 Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Manchester United)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Wages: £220,000 per week

The Swedish striker kept Manchester United afloat in the Premier League last season as the rest of the attack floundered and despite his injury in April, he still finished the club's top goal scorer with 28 goals in all competitions.

The knee injury seemed career-threatening at the time but the 36-year-old still bounced back and returned earlier than expected. United saw his progress and offered him another one-year deal as a result and he even picked up the no.10 shirt vacated by Wayne Rooney.

While his first season at Old Trafford was a success, it remains to be seen if he can continue in that rich vein of form with Romelu Lukaku also in the lineup. Mourinho's experiment of playing Ibrahimovic as a no.10 is yet to yield any positive results too.

#4 Yaya Toure (Manchester City)

Yaya Toure

Wages: £220,000 per week

At the age of 34, most players would be considered 'over the hill' and Yaya Toure seemed to fall into that category as he was sidelined for other options in midfield. The tiff between his agent and the club did not help matters much either and Pep Guardiola almost froze him out of the squad completely.

However, both parties seem to have put it all behind them and Toure's apology on behalf of his agent went a long way in rekindling the love for the Ivorian midfielder.

Although he is no longer the first choice, Guardiola decided to keep him on for his experience and provide squad depth as they challenge on all fronts. Toure is well past his best but he is still capable of keeping the ball moving which is key to Guardiola's philosophy.

Do not expect him to match his tally of 20 league goals in the 2013/14 season again when he pulverised opponents into submission with his mighty runs but do not underestimate his ability to still dominate the middle of the park with the teammates he has beside him.

#3 Sergio Aguero (Manchester City)

Sergio Aguero

Wages: £220,000 per week

A lot has been said about whether Sergio Aguero fits into Pep Guardiola's philosophy at Manchester City but the Catalan manager still looks to the Argentine striker whenever they need goals. Gabriel Jesus has started in his place up front a number of times in the past year but Aguero still reigns supreme with 12 goals compared to Jesus' 8 goals.

However, there is still some tension between the two as the 29-year-old is not accustomed to playing second fiddle. He is the club's record goal scorer and warming the bench during the peak years of his career may eventually see him make a move - possibly even this summer. He has also done everything possible to adapt to Guardiola's style of play.

Whether he moves or not, Aguero's wages are justified in this day and age. The man who scored the most historic goal in the club's history is loved by the fans and respected by his rivlals. Will he stay at the club or not is the biggest question that will be asked this summer.

#2 Romelu Lukaku (Manchester United)

Romelu Lukaku

Wages: £250,000 per week

Manchester United needed a striker when they realised Zlatan Ibrahimovic would not be available for months on end and so they broke the record for a transfer from one Premier League club to another by signing Romelu Lukaku for £75m. That's not all, it would also include £15m in add-ons.

The big Belgian striker started well, scoring 4 times in his first four games. But he has since been criticised for being a flat-track bully - scoring against weaker teams but failing to turn up against the bigger teams.

In truth, it also has to do with United's game plan in the big games which leaves Lukaku largely isolated in the opponents' half. But he has also been on the receiving end of criticism for his poor first touch which has seen the Red Devils' attacks falter.

But make no mistake about his ability to bully defenders in the box with the ball at his feet. He's only 24 and has a long way to go before he really hits his peak.

#1 Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

Paul Pogba

Wages: £290,000 per week

Manchester United were also accused of inflating the transfer market when they agreed to pay £89.5m to break the transfer record to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus. A year later, it only confirms that they were ahead of the curve with transfer fees reaching ridiculous ceilings.

However, the criticism was justified to a certain extent because they had let him go for free after all, albeit thanks to his agent Mino Raiola.

Nevertheless, he has been crucial to their success in the previous season. After a poor start where he took his time to adapt to the league, he soon became one of the best passers of the ball in the league, even completing 1,000 passes in the opposition half before anyone else did.

Almost every United attack that went through him had a better conversion rate and it was his vision that paved the way. This season has also been much of the same with United looking dull without him in midfield.

As for the wages, they may only increase if he extends his contract as United look to make him their talisman for the next decade like they did with Wayne Rooney.