Biggest Premier League Teams Pay Gaps in 2024
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Our editorial team’s new analysis of Premier League clubs reveals the biggest pay gaps between players and staff, with Manchester City having the largest ratio at 237:1.
On this page
- Premier League teams with the biggest annual player/employee pay gap
- Methodology: How we conducted the research
- Manchester City has the highest pay ratio in our list, at 237:1
- Arsenal has the second-biggest pay gap in our ranking, at 210:1
- Manchester United has the third-largest pay ratio at 205:1
- Liverpool has the fourth-highest ratio at 172:1
- Tottenham Hotspur has the fifth ranking, with a ratio of 133:1
- Newcastle United & Chelsea: sixth & seventh rankings
- What does the pay gap show?
Premier League teams with the biggest annual player/employee pay gap
| Rank | Team Name | Average Player Pay | Average Non-Player Pay | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Manchester City | £8,760,870 | £36,958 | 237:1 |
| #2 | Arsenal | £7,378,087 | £35,030 | 210:1 |
| #3 | Manchester United | £6,462,500 | £31,469 | 205:1 |
| #4 | Liverpool | £5,124,167 | £29,782 | 172:1 |
| #5 | Tottenham Hotspur | £4,312,750 | £32,469 | 132:1 |
| #6 | Newcastle United | £3,455,429 | £26,151 | 132:1 |
| #7 | Chelsea | £5,683,438 | £43,583 | 130:1 |
| #8 | Aston Villa | £4,472,000 | £34,442 | 129:1 |
| #9 | West Ham United | £4,221,905 | £33,844 | 124:1 |
| #10 | Crystal Palace | £2,866,190 | £29,987 | 95:1 |
| #11 | Everton | £3,129,579 | £35,343 | 88:1 |
| #12 | Nottingham Forest | £2,369,167 | £28,051 | 84:1 |
| #13 | Fulham | £2,672,421 | £38,509 | 69:1 |
| #14 | AFC Bournemouth | £1,971,667 | £26,687 | 73:1 |
| #15 | Leicester City | £2,353,619 | £31,106 | 75:1 |
| #16 | Brighton & Hove Albion | £1,822,000 | £32,197 | 56:1 |
| #17 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | £1,946,148 | £36,089 | 53:1 |
| #18 | Southampton | £1,367,364 | £40,190 | 34:1 |
| #19 | Brentford | £1,327,083 | £42,598 | 31:1 |
| #20 | Ipswich Town | £342,522 | £28,140 | 12:1 |
Methodology: How we conducted the research
Our team’s research analysed player and staff wages, including positions such as:
- Customer service
- Social media
- Analysts, etc.
We looked at Premier League clubs for the 2024/25 season.
We identified the highest-paid player on each team with Glassdoor salary data, excluding outliers, meaning salaries below £20,000 or above £200,000.
We determined ratios comparing employee salaries to both average and highest-paid player salaries. Afterwards, we ranked the teams by their wage disparities. We did not include loan players in our analysis.
Manchester City has the highest pay ratio in our list, at 237:1
On average, we have found that a Manchester City player earns £8.76 million annually, while non-playing staff receive just £36,900.
Kevin De Bruyne leads the team with a salary of £20.8 million per year, making him the highest-paid player in the Premier League.
Arsenal has the second-biggest pay gap in our ranking, at 210:1
The highest-paid player, Kai Havertz, receives £14.56 million annually, nearly double the average Arsenal player’s salary of £7.38 million.
In contrast, the average staff member earns just £35,000 per year, 97.3% less than their on-field counterparts.
Manchester United has the third-largest pay ratio at 205:1
Over 540 Glassdoor salaries revealed that the average player earns £6.46 million annually.
In comparison, the average staff member takes home just £31,500.
Casemiro, the highest-paid player at Manchester United, leads with a salary of £18.2 million per year.
Liverpool has the fourth-highest ratio at 172:1
Their players earn an average of £5.12 million, and staff earn £29,800.
The highest-paid player is Mohamed Salah, who earns £18.2 million, matching Casemiro.
Tottenham Hotspur has the fifth ranking, with a ratio of 133:1
Their players earn approximately £4.31 million per annum, and staff earn £32,500.
The highest-paid player is Son Heung-min at £9.88 million.
Newcastle United & Chelsea: sixth & seventh rankings
Newcastle United have a pay ratio of 132:1, while Chelsea’s statistics show a difference of 130:1.
The last teams in our list’s first 10 positions are:
- Aston Villa, with a ratio of 129:1
- West Ham United, with a ratio of 124:1
- Crystal Palace, with a ratio of 95:1
What does the pay gap show?
Based on our analysis, we have found a stark disparity in pay between Premier League stars and regular staff. While top players receive incredible salaries, the support staff—essential yet often underappreciated—receive a fraction.
This gulf highlights the extreme financial dynamics of global football, where a few months wages for one player can equate to the annual salaries of numerous staff members.
Such imbalances provoke necessary conversations about fairness and the value placed on those who keep the wheels turning behind the scenes.
As football continues to thrive on global entertainment and massive revenues, we believe that it’s crucial to recognise fair compensation.