How much academy players can earn in English football?

Editorial Team

Do academy players in English football club's earn any salary ? the simple answer is yes they do starting from year 16, clubs can offer financial rewards to keep the players at the club until they are able to sign professional deals. In the UK, all football academies are audited by independed orgnizations in-conjunction with FA and EPPP. All academies are categoriesed and Premier League academies usually fall in category 1 which we will be taking a look at.

How much youth players earn in Category 1 academies across premier league ?

Cat 1, academies can register players as early as 9 year olds. However until they turn 15, they usually do not get any wages. But usually given compensation via traveling allownces etc. However once the player turn 15 clubs usually start to pay them. Different clubs have different pay structures for their youth systems. At Arsenal players between the age of 15 and 16 can get maximum of £350 per week. While other clubs can offer anything between £150 to £400 per week for players on scholarship contracts strictly between the ages of 15 and 16.

Once a player turns 16 they can sign pre-contracts usually known as scholarship deals valid for 2-years. Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal) had one of these contracts from 2023 to 2025. Scholarship deals are good way for clubs to keep talented players at the club until they can sign professional contracts when they turn 17.

Players can sign professional contracts at 17 year olds because they can leave school at that age and join professional orgnizations as Apprentice. Apprentice contact signed at the age of 17 can only be for maximum of 3 years. Talented players usually get financially improved deals from clubs by the time they turn 18.

Table below show a general idea of how a youth player comes through academy and how much and when he starts earning.

Career Stages	Wages (if any)
At what age clubs can register players ?	9 Years olds
9 to 14 year old academy players wages	No salaries but compensation can be provided via travel allownces etc.
15-16 year olds	can sign pre-contract with the club known as 'Scholarship contracts' where they can earn £150 to £350 per week.
17 year olds	17 year olds can sign Apprentice contracts which can be for maximum 3- years. Some clubs like Liverpool have maximum wage limit for this contract.
Full fledge Professional Contract	18-year olds can sign full fledge professional contracts without any restrictions on player wages.

*Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp introduced a wage limit for players who signed their first professional contract by the age 17. At Liverpool no player can earn over £40,000 per year / £770 per week if they are not 18 yet. Other clubs have followed similar system to not only protect young players but also keep them motivated by not putting too much pressure on them.