The Premier League's wage elite: Haaland tops the bill as Saka breaks into the top five

Erling Haaland sits atop English football's wage pyramid, pocketing a staggering £525,000 each week under a 10-season contract at Manchester City that surely prompted some eyebrow-raising across the boardroom. The Norwegian striker's lengthy deal begs the question of where his representatives pitched their opening gambit.

Mo Salah trails in second place on £400,000 weekly, though the Liverpool forward's tenure at the club appears destined for the exit door. The Egyptian's recent £2.6million annual pay rise was meant to secure his future, yet it's already been agreed he'll depart as a free agent come summer—a turn of events that renders the investment rather questionable in hindsight.

Casemiro and Virgil van Dijk jointly occupy third position, each banking £350,000 per week. United essentially doubled the Brazilian midfielder's Real Madrid wages upon arrival, though his value proposition has fluctuated considerably. Van Dijk has nearly trebled his original 2018 salary at Liverpool, with the captain's worth increasingly up for discussion this season.

Bukayo Saka's freshly inked five-year arrangement propels the Arsenal winger into fifth spot, earning in excess of £300,000 weekly—a jump of more than £100,000 from his previous terms. The protracted negotiations have finally borne fruit for the Gunners, with Saka's new deal nudging Kai Havertz from this elite tier.

Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva round out the £300,000-a-week club at sixth and seventh respectively. The Manchester United captain justifies his substantial outlay, while Silva—in the final year of his £15.6million annual package—doubled his earnings when signing fresh terms in 2023.

Jack Grealish's extraordinary £300,000 weekly wage stems from his £100million arrival at City before Guardiola reassessed his enthusiasm for the winger. Grealish's loan at Everton sees the Toffees footing £225,000 of that bill—making him their highest earner by a country mile—with City subsidising the remainder. The prospect of him missing the remainder of the campaign adds particular sting to the Merseysiders' predicament.

Omar Marmoush represents perhaps the most eye-catching entry in the top ten, the Manchester City striker commanding £295,000 weekly after his agent orchestrated a remarkable coup. The Egyptian was earning just over £33,000 at Eintracht Frankfurt before his move to the Etihad.

Completing the list at tenth is Alexander Isak, now a Liverpool player on £280,000 per week. The Reds' acquisition represents a 133 per cent salary increase from his Newcastle stint, where he was pocketing £120,000 weekly. As British football's most-expensive player, he'll need to justify those figures upon his return from injury.

All figures reflect base salary only, excluding bonuses, and are primarily sourced from Capology.