Every Premier League team ranked by salary spend (2025/26)

April 22, 2026 Oliver Obel

The financial divide across the Premier League remains pronounced, with new wage data highlighting just how far apart clubs are in spending power.

According to 2025/26 salary estimates from SalaryLeaks, payrolls range from just over £65 million at the lower end to nearly £300 million among the league’s biggest spenders. While the figures are not official club disclosures, they offer a clear snapshot of the economic imbalance shaping England’s top flight.

A league split by resources

At the bottom of the scale, Wolverhampton Wanderers operate on an annual wage bill of around £65.1 million. Brentford (£71 million) and Burnley (£72.7 million) are close behind, with Sunderland and Brighton also spending under £80 million.

Despite those constraints, clubs like Brentford and Brighton have consistently avoided relegation pressure in recent seasons, underlining how recruitment and coaching can partially offset financial limitations. Brentford’s highest earners, for example, are clustered at roughly £3.9 million per year, far below the league’s elite salary brackets.

The middle ground but still a gap

A large group of clubs sit in the mid-range, including Leeds United, Bournemouth, Fulham, Everton and Crystal Palace, all with wage bills between roughly £78 million and £96 million. West Ham (£103.9 million) and Nottingham Forest (£109.3 million) push into nine-figure territory but still remain well short of the top tier.

Even within this bracket, disparities are evident. Everton’s estimated top salary, reportedly paid to Jack Grealish, reaches £11.7 million annually — more than double the highest earners at several lower-spending clubs.

The financial elite pull away

Beyond that sits a smaller group with significantly greater spending power. Newcastle United (£134.8 million), Aston Villa (£154.9 million) and Tottenham Hotspur (£177.3 million) form a bridge to the league’s traditional heavyweights.

At the top end, the gap widens sharply. Chelsea’s wage bill is estimated at £202 million, with Manchester United slightly higher at £208.8 million. Liverpool (£218.7 million) and Arsenal (£234.8 million) follow, but both are still some distance behind Manchester City.

City’s annual payroll is reported at £289 million — more than four times that of the lowest-spending clubs. Erling Haaland alone is listed as earning £27.3 million per year, making him the league’s highest-paid player.

What it means

The scale of the differences reinforces a familiar pattern: while the Premier League is often praised for its competitiveness, financial power remains heavily concentrated.

High wage bills do not guarantee success, but they strongly correlate with squad depth and long-term consistency. At the same time, clubs operating on tighter budgets face increasing pressure to outperform their spending through recruitment strategy and player development.

With external competition for talent — including lucrative offers from emerging leagues — continuing to grow, the gap between the Premier League’s biggest spenders and the rest may yet widen further.

Sources: SalaryLeaks<, GiveMeSport