Ranking Every Premier League Club by Value for Wages in 2024/25

18. Leicester City

Wage Bill: £65.4million (13th)
Difference: -5
Despite outspending six clubs, Leicester were relegated. Their investment failed to keep them afloat in the top flight.

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17. Tottenham Hotspur

Wage Bill: £104.8million (7th)
Difference: -10
Spurs’ league position was a massive letdown compared to their wage budget. They narrowly escaped relegation, making them one of the worst value squads.

16. Wolverhampton Wanderers

Wage Bill: £53.2million (18th)
Difference: +2
Wolves did slightly better than their wage bill suggested. Their modest overperformance helped secure survival.

15. Manchester United

Wage Bill: £180.6million (2nd)
Difference: -13
United were the biggest underachievers of the season. With the second-highest wage bill, a 15th-place finish was catastrophic.

14. West Ham United

Wage Bill: £90.2million (9th)
Difference: -5
West Ham’s fall below expectations was significant. A mid-table wage budget yielded a bottom-half finish.

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13. Everton

Wage Bill: £71.4million (10th)
Difference: +3
Everton slightly outperformed their financial ranking. They managed to keep themselves away from the drop zone despite instability.

12. Crystal Palace

Wage Bill: £69.8million (11th)
Difference: -1
Palace finished almost exactly where their wage bill placed them. A minor underachievement, but not disastrous.

11. Fulham

Wage Bill: £68.4million (12th)
Difference: +1
Fulham did just above the minimum expected. With smart management, they edged out better-funded teams.

10. Brentford

Wage Bill: £41.4million (19th)
Difference: +9
Brentford were the standout overachievers. With the second-lowest wage bill, they soared into the top half—a masterclass in efficiency.

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9. Bournemouth

Wage Bill: £54.7million (17th)
Difference: +8
Bournemouth defied the odds with their top-half finish. Their budget ranked low, but their performance said otherwise.

8. Brighton & Hove Albion

Wage Bill: £60.9million (15th)
Difference: +7
Brighton continued to punch above their weight. Once again, they finished well above where their finances placed them.

7. Nottingham Forest

Wage Bill: £63.4million (14th)
Difference: +7
Forest impressed all season. Their run into the top eight was a huge achievement given their budget constraints.

6. Aston Villa

Wage Bill: £107.5million (6th)
Difference: 0
Villa hit expectations squarely. Sixth in spending, sixth in the table—solid and steady from Unai Emery’s men.

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5. Newcastle

Wage Bill: £103.2million (8th)
Difference: +3
Newcastle’s financial output yielded good returns. They finished fifth, three spots higher than their wage rank.

4. Chelsea

Wage Bill: £169.3million (4th)
Difference: 0
Chelsea’s result matched their investment. It wasn’t a breakout year, but they delivered what the money suggested.

3. Manchester City

Wage Bill: £201.8million (1st)
Difference: -2
City fell short of retaining their crown. Despite the league’s highest wage bill, they finished third, a rare underperformance for Pep’s side.

2. Arsenal

Wage Bill: £172.1million (3rd)
Difference: +1
Arsenal got close to glory again. Their second-place finish showed slight overachievement relative to wages, showing consistency.

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1. Liverpool

Wage Bill: £128.8million (5th)
Difference: +4
Liverpool were deserved champions and did it economically. Fifth in wage spending but first in the league, Arne Slot’s side maximized every pound and delivered a title-winning campaign in his debut season.