Highest-paid Premier League XI of 2025-26: Haaland, Salah & forgotten England star…
It used to be the case that most of football’s top-paid superstars played their football in the Premier League – but that is no longer the case in 2025.
The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are earning tons more than even the highest-paid Premier League stars, but that isn’t to say the cream of England’s top flight are counting the pennies.
We’ve put together a full XI of the Premier League’s highest-paid players alongside how much they’re estimated to take home per week – the figures come from FBref via Capology.
GK: Alisson (£150k p/w)
The Premier League’s highest-paid goalkeeper is also one of the best in the history of the competition; Liverpool would be shadows of themselves without him.
RB: Reece James (£250k p/w)
Chelsea have tended to sell their most highly-valued homegrown stars in recent years, raising over £300million in recent years to help with those pesky FFP regulations.
But James is irreplaceable, as his status of club captain demonstrates. When he’s not on the treatment table, the full-back is one of the best defenders in world football.
CB: John Stones (£250k p/w)
Having been transformed into a free-wheeling midfield-stepping playmaker by Pep Guardiola for City’s treble-winning season, it’s no real surprise to see Stones being extremely well-paid.
Injuries have dulled his impact in the two years since and there are rumours the England defender may leave the club sooner rather than later.
But in a time of flux at the Etihad, his quality and experience will be sorely needed by Guardiola.
CB: Virgil van Dijk (£350k p/w)
Still arguably the best centre-back in world football, Van Dijk’s wage packet reflects that.
It would’ve been an absolute disaster for Liverpool to lose their inspirational captain and leader at the back.
They finally settled his future by agreeing on a two-year extension towards the end of last season.
LB: Josko Gvardiol (£200k p/w)
He’s a centre-back by trade, but Gvardiol’s best Manchester City performances have come at left-back, so he goes in our XI on the left of the back four.
Signed from RB Leipzig for £78million in 2023, the Croatia international receives a wage to back his reputation and potential.
RW: Mohamed Salah (£400k p/w)
Only three players across European football – all strikers – take home more than Liverpool’s Egyptian King.
Salah’s contract looked set to expire at the end of Liverpool’s title-winning campaign, but a bumper two-year deal was eventually agreed.
The proof is in the pudding that letting things get down to the wire – whether staying or going – was a successful negotiating tactic.
CM: Casemiro (£350k p/w)
The Brazilian made an immediate impact at Manchester United, but miles in the tank have caught up with him and it’s difficult to argue that the Red Devils have got their money’s worth out of his gigantic salary.
It’s that number above that’s the primary reason Casemiro’ll surely remain at Old Trafford for the final year of his lucrative contract. Even Saudi Pro League clubs aren’t matching that.
CM: Bruno Fernandes (£300k p/w)
Fernandes turned down a far bigger salary in Saudi Arabia to stay at Manchester United this summer, decision which drew praise from Ruben Amorim, who told staff it was the kind of loyalty and mentality he wanted.
The United captain remains central to everything his team does, scoring 19 goals in all competitions last year.
But there are murmurings that Amorim’s tactics aren’t getting the best from Fernandes and perhaps cashing in would’ve been the wiser decision.
READ: Ranking every Premier League club by their wage bill in 2025-26: Man Utd 2nd, Liverpool 5th…
LW: Raheem Sterling (£325k p/w)
Once a key figure for both club and country, Sterling has experienced an enormous fall from grace since swapping Manchester City for Chelsea in 2022.
With a weekly wage of £325k, his inconsistent showings led him to be shipped out on loan to Arsenal for the 2024-25 season, where he made little to no impact.
Time is running out for Sterling to prove he still has something to offer at the highest level. His next move will almost certainly include a substantial wage cut.
ST: Omar Marmoush (£295k p/w)
Marmoush only joined Manchester City in January, but he’s already worked his way into this XI with his reported £295,000 per week wages.
The Egyptian forward made an instant impression, scoring a hat-trick against Newcastle in just his third appearance and later picking up the Premier League Goal of the Season for a thunderous strike against Bournemouth.
He finished last season with eight goals in 25 games for City across all competitions and will no doubt have a big role to play in 2025-26.
ST: Erling Haaland (£525k p/w)
Say hello to the highest earner in European football. Manchester City pay the outrageously prolific Norwegian goalscorer an estimated £27million a year.
And he’s got that locked in until 2034. Very few players in the history of the game will have banked as much.
READ NEXT: Every club in Europe ranked by their 2025-26 wage bill: Five Premier League clubs in top 10…
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