Ben McKimm
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This season, the highest-paid players in the English Premier League (EPL) come from five clubs and have an average annual salary of AUD$37.86 million. The highest-paid player in the EPL is Erling Haaland, whose £27,300,000 (approx. AUD$56.3 million) salary also makes him one of the highest-paid athletes in the world. The Norwegian striker is the top-paid of the Abu Dhabi royal family-backed Manchester City trio, including Omar Marmoush and captain Bernardo Silva. Together, their combined salaries exceed £58.5 million (AUD$121 million). Where does that put them amongst other teams in the EPL? Let’s take a closer look at the highest-paid players and find out.
Highest-Paid Players in the EPL at a Glance
Highlights from our list include the following options:
Now you’ve read the highlights, let’s check out the complete list.
Further Reading
Erling haaland
Erling Haaland | Image: Supplied / Manchester City
1. Erling Haaland, £27.3 million
Salary: £27,300,000 (approx. AUD$56.3 million)
The highest-paid player in the EPL, Erling Haaland, will earn more than £27.3 million for the 2025-2026 season at his Manchester City club.
Ultimately, you have to put the ball in the net to get paid the big bucks, and Haaland has already cemented his name as one of the greats. He’s the EPL’s best scorer by a healthy margin (85 goals since 2022-23), and he’s trailed by Mohamed Salah, who has managed 66 goals in that span. Haaland has managed 20 goals in EPL competitions for three straight seasons, so his consistency is key, and comes from the fact that he can score at all three levels: one-on-one, with acrobatics, and volleys.
Position: Forward
Team: Manchester City
Contract length: 10 years (extension)
Contract ends: 2034
Weekly salary (derived): ~£525,000
Mohamed salah feature
Mohamed Salah | Image: Supplied / Liverpool
2. Mohamed Salah, £20.8 million
Salary: £20,800,000 (approx. AUD$42.9 million)
Three-time Golden Boot winner Mohamed Salah is Liverpool’s all-time Premier League top scorer and still one of the best on the planet. It earned him another healthy extension with the club, cementing his legacy for another two years, and making him the second-highest-paid player in the EPL with an annual salary of £20.8 million.
While some believe his best days are behind him, Salah still hopes to win a couple more trophies. “Of course, I’m very excited,” he said in an announcement from Liverpool. “We have a great team now. Before also we had a great team. But I signed because I think we have a chance to win other trophies and enjoy my football.”
Position: Forward
Team: Liverpool
Contract length: 2 years (current term)
Contract ends: 2027
Weekly salary (listed): £350,000
Carlos casemiro
Carlos Casemiro | Image: Supplied / Manchester United
3. Carlos Casemiro, £18.2 million
Salary: £18,200,000 (approx. AUD$37.5 million)
Casemiro is a winner, with five UEFA Champions Leagues under his belt thanks to success at his former club, Real Madrid. He joined Manchester United in 2022 and signed one of the most significant contracts we’d ever seen, earning him a whopping £18.2 million per season. That still makes him one of the highest-paid players in the EPL this season, but we can’t ignore reports that he’s not in head coach Ruben Amorim’s plans.
Position: Midfielder
Team: Manchester United
Contract length: 4 years
Contract ends: 2026 (UFA 2027)
Weekly salary (derived): ~£350,000
Virgil van dijk
4. Virgil Van Dijk, £18.2 million
Salary: £18,200,000 (approx. AUD$37.5 million)
The first player from the backline to land a spot on our list is Liverpool captain Virgil Van Dijk, the fourth-highest-paid player in the EPL this season. He was the target of a record £75m transfer to Liverpool in 2018 and has now signed a two-year contract that will keep him at the club until 2027 and earn him £18.2 million annually. While he’s only scored 25 goals in more than 300 appearances, Van Dijk is the defensive anchor and rarely gets dribbled past.
Team: Liverpool
Position: Defender
Contract length: 2 years
Contract ends: 2027
Weekly salary (GBP): £350,000
Bruno fernandes
Bruno Fernandes | Image: Supplied / Manchester United
5. Bruno Fernandes, £15.6 million
Salary: £15,600,000 (approx. AUD$32.2 million)
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes is the fifth-highest-paid player in the EPL this season and is the man who can be credited for taking his team to the FA Cup in 2024. While the club has had some performance issues recently (their most horrific season in the Premier League era), the midfielder scored eight goals last season in 36 matches, which isn’t too shabby. Now, he has his sights set on regaining the fan base’s trust with something better than a 16th-placed finish, their worst since 1989-90.
Position: Midfielder
Team: Manchester United
Contract length: 4 years (current deal)
Contract ends: 2026
Weekly salary (derived): ~£300,000
Jack grealish 1
Jack Grealish | Image: Supplied / Everton
6. Jack Grealish, £15.6 million
Salary: £15,600,000 (approx. AUD$32.2 million)
On loan to Everton from Manchester City, 29-year-old Jack Grealish joined City from Aston Villa for a British record fee of £100 million in August 2021. He found overwhelming success at City, making over 150 appearances for the club, winning three Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup. However, his career now sits at a crossroads, but a new club will hopefully rejuvenate it handsomely, and a new stadium and fanbase will at least light a fire under the midfielder.
“I think we’re getting him at a good time because he’s experienced, he understands the Premier League, and we’re all fully aware of the levels he’s capable of performing to,” said Everton boss David Moyes. “We’re all looking forward to working with him and providing a platform for him to show the best version of himself.”
Position: Midfielder
Team: Everton (on loan)
Contract length: 4 years (current deal)
Contract ends: 2026
Weekly salary (derived): ~£300,000
Bernardo silva
Bernardo Silva | Image: Supplied / Manchester City
7. Bernardo Silva, £15.6 million
Salary: £15,600,000 (approx. AUD$32.2 million)
Manchester City has a new captain, Bernardo Silva. This season, the seventh-highest-paid player in the EPL is an experienced midfielder and right winger who was key to the club’s treble championship success in 2022-2023. The players did not select him, but by manager Pep Guardiola, who says he didn’t like the selection of Kyle Walker last season. “I didn’t like what happened last season, and I decided this season who will represent the team,” said Guardiola on Tuesday at his pre-match media session in Philadelphia, ahead of City’s 2-0 win against Wydad of Morocco at the Club World Cup.
“I say to Bernardo often, ‘You are 50 per cent clown, 50 per cent leader,’” said Guardiola at the time. “When he becomes 25 per cent clown, 75 per cent leader, he will become the captain of this team.” It’s clear that the time is now, and his job will be leading one of the most successful teams in the last decade in the EPL.
Position: Midfielder
Team: Manchester City
Contract length: 3 years (current deal)
Contract ends: 2026
Weekly salary (derived): ~£300,000
Omar marmoush
Omar Marmoush | Image: Supplied / Manchester City
8. Omar Marmoush, £15.34 million
Salary: £15,340,000 (approx. AUD$31.8 million)
Scoring eight goals in 25 appearances last season, Omar Marmoush was part of a £60.3 million transfer from Eintracht Frankfurt back in January. He signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with the club, and the rest has been, as they say, history. His goal against Bournemouth will be remembered as one of the greatest of the decade, winning the Goal of the Season. Now, he can make history with Erling Haaland by his side.
Position: Forward
Team: Manchester City
Contract length: 4 years (current deal)
Contract ends: 2026
Weekly salary (derived): ~£300,000
Kai havertz
Kai Havertz | Image: Supplied / Arsenal F.C.
9. Kai Havertz, £14.56 million
Salary: £14,560,000 (approx. AUD$30.16 million)
Kai Havertz is one of the highest-paid players in the EPL this season with an estimated annual salary of £14.56 million. The attacking midfielder is facing one of the most critical campaigns of his career, to win the Premier League after a 2024-25 season that saw Liverpool come up short in every competition. Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Nørgaard have been added to the team, and coach Mikel Arteta is keen for fans to connect with their new talent immediately. “We want our people to start connecting with our players straight away,” said Arteta. “To start to build momentum and to start to feel that at home we are invincible – that we play here with such passion, energy and connection with our people, that we are going to win the game.”
Position: Forward
Team: Arsenal F.C.
Contract length: 5 years (2023–2027)
Contract ends: 2027
Weekly salary (derived): ~£280,000
Gabriel jesus
Gabriel Jesus | Image: Supplied / Arsenal F.C.
10. Gabriel Jesus, £13.78 million
Salary: £13,780,000 (approx. AUD$28.58 million)
Next to Kai Havertz is Gabriel Jesus, a four-time Premier League champion with Manchester City before joining the Gunners in 2022. Sadly, he underwent ACL surgery in January, and we’re unlikely to see him this season.
Position: Forward
Team: Arsenal F.C.
Contract length: 5 years (2022–2027)
Contract ends: 2027
Weekly salary (derived): ~£265,000
How We Made This List
Of course, it’s impossible to put an exact figure on the contracts of any EPL player, as this information is not publicly available. However, by looking at each team’s salary cap, analysing the publicly available information, examining the rare official documents related to player signings, and examining the info shared by sources closer to the league, we were able to come up with an accurate list of 2025-2026 player salaries.
You might notice that names like Raheem Sterling are missing from this list. That’s entirely down to the discrepancies we found in information reported by websites like Spotrac and OTC. Sterling reportedly signed a £47.5m contract with Chelsea from Manchester City in 2022, but has since fallen out of favour with the club, so it’s unlikely that he’s earning the £16.9 million contract that some sources report online.