Highest Paid Players In Every Premier League Season 1992 To 2025
Premier League is the most lucrative league competition not only in football but sports in general. The average premier league wage has hit all time high at £67,000 per week in 2025 but some of the top players in big clubs are earning more then £250,000 per week which is around £1 million a month and £12 million a year. After England's top division was rebranded to 'Premier League' it became global phenomenon and circulation of money around the League has been on the rise ever since. Erling Haaland recently became the highest paid player in Premier League with salary of £500,000 per week and we take this opportunity to breakdown highest paid player in each of the premier league season since 1992.
How average premier league wage has changed since 1992 ?
Just to give you bit of context, average salary in the premier league right now is £67,000 per week. Back in 1992 average yearly salary in Premier League was £75,000 per week which goes to show rapid increase in top flight football salaries. John Barns became the first player to earn a contract worth £10,000 per week. Followed by Eric Cantona who signed £18,000 per week deal with Manchester United. By 1996/97, average wage in premier league had exploded and reached £3,500 per week (£175k annually). While Fabrizio Ravanelli's £42,000 per week Middlesbrough contract was anomaly at that time but was sign of things to come.
Roy Keane's back to back contract extensions made him first player to earn £50,000 per week followed by another financially improved deal to take his weekly salary to £90,000 per week in 2001/02 season. Steven Gerrard became first player to earn £100,000 contract when he declined Chelsea's offer and signed contract extension with Liverpool in 2005. Manchester City's Abu Dhabhi money came and absolutely demolished wage structures in Premier League by first offering £160,000 per week to Robinho followed by mamoth £225,000 a week salary for Carlos Tevez. Over the last 4 seasons Manchester City Kevin De Bruyne and now Erling Haaland has been the highest paid players in Premier League.
*Below is the season by season breakdown of highest paid player in premier league. All the salaries are verified and taken from sources like Guardian and BBC.
| SEASONS | PLAYER | SALARY (Weekly) |
| 1992/93 | John Barnes (Liverpool) | £10,000 |
| 1993/94 | John Barnes (Liverpool) | £10,000 |
| 1994/95 | Eric Cantona (Man Utd) | £18,000 |
| 1995/96 | Dennis Bergkamp (Arsenal) | £25,500 |
| 1996/97 | Fabrizio Ravanelli (Middlesbrough) | £42,000 |
| 1997/98 | Alan Shearer (Newcastle) | £34,000 |
| 1998/99 | Alan Shearer (Newcastle) | £34,000 |
| 1999/00 | Roy Keane (Man Utd) | £52,000 |
| 2000/01 | Roy Keane (Man Utd) | £52,000 |
| 2001/02 | Roy Keane (Man Utd) | £90,000 |
| 2002/03 | Roy Keane (Man Utd) | £90,000 |
| 2003/04 | Hernan Crespo (Chelsea) | £94,000 |
| 2004/05 | Frank Lampard (Chelsea) | £98,000 |
| 2005/06 | Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) | £100,000 |
| 2006/07 | Andriy Shevchenko (Chelsea) | £118,000 |
| 2007/08 | John Terry (Chelsea) | £135,000 |
| 2008/09 | Robinho (Man City) | £160,000 |
| 2009/10 | Carlos Tevez (Man City) | £225,000 |
| 2010/11 | Carlos Tevez (Man City) | £225,000 |
| 2011/12 | Carlos Tevez (Man City) | £225,000 |
| 2012/13 | Carlos Tevez (Man City) | £225,000 |
| 2013/14 | Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) | £300,000 |
| 2014/15 | Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) | £300,000 |
| 2015/16 | Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) | £300,000 |
| 2016/17 | Wayne Rooney (Man Utd) | £300,000 |
| 2017/18 | Alexis Sanchez (Man Utd) | £350,000 |
| 2018/19 | Alexis Sanchez (Man Utd) | £350,000 |
| 2019/20 | David de Gea (Man Utd) | £375,000 |
| 2020/21 | Gareth Bale (Tottenham/R.Madrid) | £400,000 |
| 2021/22 | Cristiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) | £450,000 |
| 2022/23 | Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) | £400,000 |
| 2023/24 | Kevin De Bruyne (Man City) | £400,000 |
| 2024/25 | Erling Haaland (Man City) | £500,000 |
| 2025/26 | Erling Haaland (Man City) | £500,000 |
