Real Madrid leads Europe in wages. Where are PSG & City? « Euro Weekly News

Real Madrid is the club with the highest wage bill in European football, spending €272 million per year, according to industry estimates.

At the top of their payroll is Kylian Mbappé, signed on a free in the summer of 2024 from PSG. The French star’s annual salary reaches €31.25 million, excluding bonuses. Other important earners from the Real Madrid squad include David Alaba (€22.5 million) and Vinícius Júnior (€20.83 million).

Bayern and Manchester City follow closely

Just behind Madrid is Bayern Munich, with a total wage budget of €264 million. The Bundesliga giants invest a big part of this sum in top players like the Englishman Harry Kane, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, and midfielder Joshua Kimmich, who lead their squad in salaries.

Despite an underwhelming season by Pep Guardiola’s team, Manchester City completes the podium with a €242 million salary outlay. Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, and Jack Grealish are the top earners at Etihad, according to Capology’s experts.

Who completes the top 10

The next clubs on the list are Manchester United, Arsenal, PSG, and Chelsea, all exceeding €200 million in annual salaries. Barcelona, known for their financial difficulties in recent years, follows in eighth place (€192 million), while Liverpool and Inter Milan round out the top 10.

Bayer Leverkusen, the reigning Bundesliga champions, ranks only 26th in wage spending. Despite operating on a €78 million salary budget, just over double Mbappé’s wages alone, the team coached by Xabi Alonso continues to perform excellently on the pitch.

Where are Atlético Madrid and Dortmund ranked

Atlético Madrid, La Liga leaders, sit in 11th place, just outside the top 10. Borussia Dortmund, UEFA Champions League finalist in the last season, is ranked 15 in this ‘money’ top.

In France, Lyon (30th) and Marseille (31st) are the next highest-paying clubs after PSG, each with a budget slightly above €70 million.

Premier League dominance

The Premier League remains the most lucrative domestic league in Europe, with even its lowest spender, Ipswich Town, allocating €41 million per year in wages. This amount surpasses many teams in other top divisions, including Eintracht Frankfurt, Valencia, or Champions League participant Bologna.