Footballers are amongst the top paid sports people on the planet. And in particular, the earnings of elite players competing at the highest levels are often beyond astronomical! The English Premier League remains the competition to beat in terms of the highest average salary in European football.
Yet, similar to any of the big five leagues, the Premier League sees its athletes paid a wide breadth of wages, ranging from tens of thousands of pounds per week to weekly payments of nearly half a million pounds!
So, Exactly What is The Average English Premier League Salary?
As of 2024, the average salary of a professional football player worldwide is around £45,000. Naturally, that sum varies dramatically depending on several factors such as:
The league in which they are based
Their team
The position they play
Age
Overall ability
Generally speaking, players plying their trade in one of Europe’s biggest leagues are paid the most (the exception being the Saudi Pro League, of course) with the Premier League offering the highest average salaries of any the continent can afford.
What Is The Average English Premier League Salary?
The English Premier League boasts an average yearly salary of £3.24 million, which is the highest annual earnings of all the top European leagues. In second place is La Liga with an average salary of £1.96 million, Germany’s Bundesliga at £1.62 million whilst Serie A (£1.53m) and Ligue 1 players (£1.28m) earning significantly less.
There are several reasons that the average English Premier League salary is so high.
Over three decades of increasing popularity, a pulsating style of play, and the capture of the world’s most talented players have all culminated in English football’s top flight, becoming a behemoth of a brand. The league has also benefited from astute marketing strategies and extensive global broadcasting deals, increasing its viewership to billions worldwide.
Since England’s First Division was rebranded in 1992 as the FA Premier League of today, its value has exploded exponentially and is now worth over £9 billion! The league's partnerships with major sponsors and the sale of lucrative television rights, particularly to international markets, have significantly bolstered its financial standing.
After gaining negotiating powers over sponsorships and broadcasting rights, the Premier League's revenue skyrocketed. The league secured groundbreaking deals with major broadcasters such as Sky Sports, BT Sport, and international networks, generating billions in revenue.
This wealth was soon distributed to Premier League teams, allowing them to invest heavily in facilities, youth academies, and world-class talent. The financial clout of Premier League clubs enabled them to outbid their European counterparts for top players, significantly raising the overall quality and competitiveness of the league. Additionally, the influx of international investors and owners has injected further capital into the league, enhancing its global appeal and marketability.
As we rapidly head towards 2025, the largest Premier League outfits now have huge resources to fork out extortionate amounts each season on salaries. Chelsea and Arsenal spend an average of around £3 million per week in salaries with Manchester United and Manchester City able to pay out nearly £4 million to its players every seven days!
How Much Does The Average English Premier League Player Earn In A Month?
The Premier League average salary per month is an estimated £270,000. However, the wage demands per month of players from those highest-paying teams, the likes of Marcus Rashford, Bernardo Silva and Casemiro for example, often command salaries in excess of a million pounds each month.
How Much Does The Average English Premier League Player Earn In A Week?
Average weekly Premier League salaries sit at around £55,000 with lower wages typically being paid to players from teams outside the top six clubs. Yet the league’s most handsomely paid players, from the top sides in English football, can expect to earn up
to £400,000 every seven days.
How Much Does The Average English Premier League Player Earn In A Day?
A Premier League football player’s average salary per day is nearly £8,000 which is a substantial amount of money for most people to earn in the space of just 24 hours. Unbelievably, for players from bigger clubs, that average can stretch to upwards of
£60,000 per day!
Who Are The Lowest-Paid English Premier League Players?
Currently, the ten lowest-paid players in the Premier League all earn no more than £10,000 per week. In the top three of the Premier League's lowest earners are Luton Town’s midfielder Jordan Clark who takes home just £5,000 each week, Sheffield United’s Rhys Norrington-Davies (£4,000 per week) and Nottingham Forest winger Alex Mighten on only £3,500 every week.
Who Are The Highest Paid English Premier League Players?
Mohamed Salah is the world's third highest-paid Premier League player and earns an estimated £350,000-a-week. The world-class Liverpool forward has consistently justified such a lucrative wage, far superior to the majority of his fellow professionals since arriving at Anfield in 2017.
Second place goes to Norwegian goal machine Erling Haaland. He pockets a cool £375,000 per week and has been well worth his premium wage, having already scored over 60 league goals during his two seasons in English football so far. The Premier League’s highest-paid player is Kevin De Bruyne, who earns a whopping £400,000 weekly. The league’s second-greatest-ever assist-maker is true value for money in the eyes of most football fans who understand the game.