20 HIGHEST-PAID FOOTBALLERS IN EUROPE'S TOP 5 LEAGUES

The top-earning players in the top five European leagues have been revealed, with a lot of big names now being absent due to the emerging force of the Saudi Pro League.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema would have been towards the top of this list in 2023 until they made their moves to the Middle East. With astronomical figures being thrown about in that part of the world for football players, the aforementioned names are certainly better paid than the top names on this list.

Lionel Messi has also made a departure from the European game last year, although the 37-year-old opted to move to the MLS rather than the Saudi Arabian league. Messi has been among the top earners in the world for more than a decade, and had this been a world ranking, he would be towards the top of the list once more.

The absence of these names has left room for other players to make their way into the top 20 earners across the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Bundesliga and Ligue 1. These are still regarded as the top five divisions on the continent, although it has to be said that only one Serie A player makes the cut.

So, we take a look at the top 20 highest-paid players in Europe's top five leagues with the weekly wage figures coming from Transfermarkt via Capology.

Frenkie de Jong

Wage: 615,682 per week

The privilege of being the highest-paid midfielder and player from Europe's top five leagues goes to the Barcelona man. It perhaps gives an indication as to why the Dutch star was reluctant to leave Spain to sign for Manchester United in 2022. Being a big signing from Ajax over five years ago now, De Jong has become a key part of a Barcelona team that is looking to get back to past glories.

The Spanish giants won La Liga in 2023, but haven't even been close to European success in recent years. With Hansi Flick recently taking charge, the future of everyone at the club is up in the air, and considering how much money De Jong is raking in every single week, it wouldn't be too surprising if Barcelona tried to cash in on him.

Robert Lewandowski

Wage: 540,752 per week

Barcelona talisman, Lewandowski, brings home the same amount of money as the previous three La Liga players in this list. The Polish striker was snapped up by the Spanish team in 2022 after eight years at Bayern Munich with 344 goals being scored in that time. His clinical nature in front of goal is a quality worth its weight in gold for any club in the modern game, with very few forwards being comparable to Lewandowski in that respect.

The hardest skill in football is to consistently put the ball in the back of the net, and for that reason, it comes as no surprise that Lewandowski is towards the top of this list. His clinical goalscoring led Barca to the 2022/23 La Liga title. The 35-year-old bagged 23 goals in his debut season at Camp Nou, making him worth the hefty paycheck.

Kylian Mbappe

Wage: 506,968 per week

After years of speculation, Kylian Mbappe finally joined Real Madrid this summer and he took a paycut to do so. During his time at PSG, he was the highest-paid player in Europe and was taking home over £1m every week. The allure of playing for Los Blancos meant he more than halved his salary to move to La Liga.

With that said, he's still earning over £500,000 a week and wont be short of cash anytime soon. Considering Madrid are coming off the back of yet another Champions League triumph, the notion of adding the French star to their ranks is quite ridiculous.

Harry Kane

Wage: 410,455 per week

There was a growing belief that Kane would never leave Tottenham in the pursuit of a new challenge. However, the opportunity to win many trophies with Bayern Munich - along with a lucrative contract offer - was enough to finally prize the Englishman away from Spurs and the Premier League. He is widely acknowledged as the very best in his position globally, with his wage now reflecting this.

The second-highest goalscorer in Premier League history was always going to command an extremely healthy salary, and his form for the German side throughout his debut campaign proves exactly why. Kane became the fastest man to reach 20 Bundesliga goals, doing so in only 14 matches. Bayern Munich's number nine also reached the tally that won the previous season's Golden Boot in only 11 games. He is simply unstoppable. With that said, he is still yet to win that first bit of silverware.

Kevin de Bruyne

Wage: 400,000 per week

City will be hoping that being the highest-paid player at the club will be enough to keep the Belgian happy and turn down any future approaches from Middle Eastern sides. Being perhaps the best player in the English top flight, the 32-year-old has already all but paid back the money forked out for his services by helping his side to five league titles and many cup successes.

De Bruyne is already making his way into conversations about the best midfielders in Premier League history before even hanging up his boots, and that says something about the talent the former Chelsea youngster possesses. There are no doubts that he is the best midfielder in world football, and despite injury issues, is still the most important man in the most dominant team in the world.

Erling Haaland

Wage: 375,000 per week

Having secured the Premier League goalscoring record in his debut campaign with 36 goals in 35 games, and finished top scorer in the Premier League in both his seasons in the league, the Norwegian has proven why Manchester City were willing to pay him such a high wage. Haaland was unlucky to finish second in the 2023 Ballon d'Or rankings, behind Lionel Messi, after a sensational first 18 months with the Citizens.

The fact the Norwegian helped his side to a first-ever Champions League triumph and a historic treble in his first season is a testament to the impact his signing had on an already dominant side. While the wages are still eye-watering, Haaland and De Bruyne are two players who deserve to be very well compensated for their efforts and contributions.

David Alaba

Wage: 369,409 per week

Perhaps surprisingly bringing home just under £370,000 a week, the former Bayern Munich defender earns more than all of his Real Madrid teammates, bar one (Mbappe). There was a lot of interest in the versatile Austrian as it became clear he would be leaving his previous club at the end of his contract, and the Spanish giants swooped in with a massive offer to seal the deal in 2021.

Alaba's 2023/24 season was cut short due to a long-term injury, and this was seen as a massive absence from the backline as his versatility allowed the 32-year-old to operate effectively in the centre and on the left. Not only an intelligent defender but also a composed player in possession, the Austria international is a big player for the biggest club in the world and is paid as such.

Dusan Vlahovic

Wage: 360,423 per week

After showing incredible promise early in his career, Dusan Vlahovic hasn't taken off like many expected him to at Juventus. He's not been bad by any stretch, scoring 41 times in 101 appearances for the Serie A giants, but it's hardly the form that he teased before leaving Fiorentina.

Still, he's being paid very handsomely by Juventus for his services and currently takes home just over £360,000 a week. For that sort of price, the club will probably want his output in front of goal to increase. If they want to return to the peak of Italian football, they can't afford to splash such a large fee on someone who's best return for the club so far is 16 league goals.

Casemiro

Wage: 350,000 per week

Manchester United's highest earner receives the same weekly wage as Liverpool's. Casemiro was brought in from Real Madrid in 2022 after winning five Champions League titles with Los Blancos, meaning he was always going to be well-paid. United are known to hand out big contracts for marquee signings and the Brazilian did not disappoint in his first campaign.

Some big-name stars on high-paying deals have been moved on in recent times and Casemiro could be the next on that list for Erik ten Hag after a disappointing 2023/24 season. At 32 years old, though, there could still be value in paying the Brazilian midfielder to pass his experience and wisdom onto younger players such as Kobbie Mainoo.

Mohamed Salah

Wage: 350,000 per week

With strong links to a move to the Saudi Pro League, Salah was almost not included on this list and paid significantly more. Liverpool's talisman for the Jurgen Klopp era signed a new contract in the summer of 2022, becoming the highest-paid player at the Premier League giants. The Reds don't tend to pay such high wages but were willing to make an exception for the man to have scored over 200 goals for the club.

Salah is now among the top 10 Premier League goalscorers of all time, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest forwards to have graced the English division. It remains to be seen how much longer he will remain at Anfield, though, with his beloved boss leaving this summer and the Arne Slot era bringing a level of uncertainty to Liverpool.

Manuel Neuer

Wage: 344,782 per week

Bayern Munich's number one is the highest-paid goalkeeper in Europe, and it is not surprising as the German has spent the past decade as one of the best in his position. Not only that, but he is also the second-highest earning player in the entire Bundesliga, behind Kane. At 38 years old, it is yet to be seen how long Neuer will have at the top, but his career will be remembered fondly either way.

His status as one of the greatest goalkeepers in history is already set in stone for when Neuer does eventually decide to hang up his gloves. Even after suffering a long-term injury in the second part of the 2022/23 season, the Germany international is still the top shot-stopper in the Bundesliga and one of the best in the world.

Jude Bellingham

Wage: 341,991 per week

Vinicius Junior and his teammate, Bellingham, earn the same wage at the Bernabeu. The Englishman has definitely started out as a sensation with his new side after joining from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023 as he has reached double-figure goals from a midfield role. The 20-year-old looks set to be one of the biggest stars in the game over the next decade and this will not be his biggest contract by the time he hangs up his boots.

With his imperious performances for the Spanish giants, Bellingham has already put himself in an early conversation as a potential winner of the 2024 Ballon d'Or. The future is incredibly bright for the former Birmingham City man.

Vinicius Junior

Wage: 341,991 per week

On the exact same weekly wage as Bellingham is possibly the best left-winger in world football - Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian makes the cut convincingly and his performances in recent years prove he is worth every penny in today's game. There would be no surprised fans if he were rewarded with an even better deal in the near future to ensure no other club swoops in to blow his current wage away.

Alongside Bellingham, and now Mbappe, things are looking pretty scary for the rest of Europe and if the trio can deliver on the level that many are expecting them to, they'll all do more than earn their salaries.

Jan Oblak

Wage: 341,991 per week

Atletico Madrid's 31-year-old shot-stopper is the second-highest paid goalkeeper in the European top 5 leagues, meaning he earns more than Ederson, Alisson and Thibaut Courtois. The keeper has recently completed a decade of service at the Spanish club and, in that time, he has consistently been a top performer in between the sticks.

Diego Simeone's side are known to invite pressure upon themselves and Oblak presents a formidable figure in goal, and well worth the money he is paid. The Slovenia international is paid the same each week as Real Madrid duo, Vinícius Junior and Bellingham.

Thomas Mller

Wage: 336,573 per week

Muller earns slightly more than his international teammate - Leroy Sane - with the veteran forward earning more than a third of £1 million per week. The 34-year-old has been a loyal servant to Bayern Munich for the past two decades, as he spent a great chunk of his youth career with the German giants.

He has found the back of the net 242 times on the way to a massive twelve Bundesliga titles and two Champions Leagues, meaning he has more than earned his massive wage. His time with the club could soon come to an end, as game time was hard to come by for the veteran in the 2023/24 season. It may be difficult for Muller to find a club that would be willing to match his current Bayern salary, but stranger things have happened.

Romelu Lukaku

Wage: 325,000 per week

After several seasons out on loan, you'd be forgiven for forgetting that Romelu Lukaku is technically still a Chelsea player. Not only that, but the Belgian is one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League. The goalscorer hasn't had the best of times at Stamford Bridge, but is still being paid a hefty wage by the club this summer.

Under Enzo Maresca, there's every bit of chance that things can still be turned around for Lukaku at the Blues, but don't be too surprised if he's instead sent packing again before the 2024/25 campaign gets underway. Whether it's another temporary loan, or a permanent move.

Raheem Sterling

Wage: 325,000 per week

Multiple Premier League successes with Manchester City earned a big move to Chelsea for the England winger in 2022, with a very lucrative contract tempting Sterling from the Etihad to Stamford Bridge. At the time, it was seen as a big signing due to the impact the forward had under Pep Guardiola in the previous seasons.

However, his first campaign with the Blues did not go as planned, with injuries and inconsistent performances hampering his career. The start of the 2023/24 season showed signs of the Sterling of old, although the west London club's struggles have seen Sterling slip back into inconsistency.

Ousmane Dembele

Wage: 324,456 per week

Similarly to Kane, the French winger sealed a big-money move in the 2023 summer transfer window as he moved from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain. Having previously moved to the Spanish club for a fee of over £100 million, the 27-year-old was once the most sought-after young talent around.

With Mbappe leaving PSG this summer, this is the perfect opportunity for Dembele to take charge and make the team his own. Losing such an important star, the club will be hoping that the former Barcelona man will play at the level that his weekly salary suggests he should be at.

Leroy Sane

Wage: 324,456 per week

Leroy Sane was already extremely well-paid when he was representing one of the richest clubs in world football, Manchester City. This is why it comes as no real shock to see the German on this list, as very few players in their 20s move on and accept a pay cut.

With his injury problems looking to be firmly behind him, Sane has reinvented himself as a creative force, having previously been an all-action winger. Supplying many assists for Kane and others at the Allianz Arena, the 28-year-old is key to the Bundesliga side as he is capable of playing on either flank as well as in the number 10 role.

Joshua Kimmich

Wage: 316,345 per week

One of Bayern's most underrated stars comes in at 20. Joshua Kimmich's ability to play across multiple positions has made him an incredibly useful figure over the years. Whether it's for club or country, his knack for rising to the occasion when it's needed most means he's earned every bit of his lofty salary.

The 29-year-old has spent close to a decade with Bayern, winning just about everything there was to win in that time. With close to 400 appearances for the club under his belt too, he'll go down as a legend at the Allianz Arena and considering his contributions over the years, there's an argument to be made that he could have been paid even more.

2024-07-26T23:33:45Z dg43tfdfdgfd