Manchester City had the Premier League’s highest estimated wage bill in 2024/25, at £223.652 million; Ipswich Town had the lowest, at £40.040 million. The ranking below, published by Planet Football on 1 March 2025 and attributed to Capology, is a historical estimate—not a current 2026/27 table or a set of audited, directly comparable club accounts. Read the source ranking.
2024/25 Premier League wage-bill ranking
These are the annual amounts listed in Planet Football’s ranking of Capology estimates. The source cautions that industry estimates are unlikely to be completely accurate, so treat the figures as indicative rather than audited totals.
| Rank | Club | Estimated annual wage bill |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester City | £223.652m |
| 2 | Arsenal | £172.666m |
| 3 | Manchester United | £171.418m |
| 4 | Chelsea | £161.850m |
| 5 | Liverpool | £129.376m |
| 6 | Aston Villa | £123.864m |
| 7 | Tottenham Hotspur | £111.956m |
| 8 | West Ham United | £100.230m |
| 9 | Newcastle United | £93.132m |
| 10 | Everton | £72.462m |
| 11 | Fulham | £71.266m |
| 12 | Crystal Palace | £68.510m |
| 13 | Leicester City | £65.676m |
| 14 | Brighton & Hove Albion | £59.826m |
| 15 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | £57.512m |
| 16 | Nottingham Forest | £55.016m |
| 17 | Bournemouth | £50.908m |
| 18 | Southampton | £48.542m |
| 19 | Brentford | £41.756m |
| 20 | Ipswich Town | £40.040m |
What the ranking says—and what it does not
City’s estimate is more than five times Ipswich’s, while Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea complete the top four. Liverpool rank fifth in this estimate table despite winning the league, as Planet Football noted. Brentford are second-lowest by estimated wages and were described as midtable. Those comparisons show that spending rank and league outcome are not the same thing; they do not establish that wages caused a club’s finish or success.
Why wage-bill figures can differ
Estimates are not audited club totals
The table is a third-party estimate ranking, not a uniform set of figures drawn from each club’s filed accounts. The source does not establish a consistent audited player-only figure for all 20 clubs. Its amounts should therefore not be read as exact payroll disclosures or as perfectly like-for-like accounting measures.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute#1 Best Overall
- OFFICIAL PREMIER LEAGUE LICENSED BALL: The PUMA Orbita Match Premier League Soccer Ball is the official ball for the 25/26 Premier League season, ensuring top-tier quality and performance.
- FIFA QUALITY: Meets the highest standards set by FIFA for match balls, guaranteeing exceptional durability, flight, and control.
- PREMIUM CONSTRUCTION: Crafted with advanced materials and technology to deliver optimal touch, precision, and consistency in every game.
- BUILT FOR PERFORMANCE: Engineered for moments that win hearts, minds, and matches, providing players with everything they need to steal the spotlight and put on a show.
- MATCH BALL: Crafted to meet the highest standards, this top-tier match ball delivers exceptional performance for professional quality play.
League-wide wage costs cover more than players
Deloitte’s 2026 Annual Review of Football Finance says Premier League clubs’ aggregate wage costs rose by £381 million to a record £4.4 billion in 2024/25. The league-wide wages-to-revenue ratio was 65%, compared with 64% in 2023/24. These totals are broader context, not the sum of the estimates in the table. Deloitte’s definition includes wages, salaries, signing-on fees, bonuses, termination payments, social security contributions and other employee-benefit expenses for all employees, including players, technical staff and administrative staff. Deloitte’s 2026 Annual Review of Football Finance and Deloitte Football Money League 2026 describe the wider accounting basis.
Club accounts can report a different scope
Liverpool FC reported £428 million in staff costs and £703 million in revenue for the year ending 31 May 2025. The staff-cost figure includes a broader employee-cost measure and is not a replacement for Liverpool’s £129.376 million estimated wage bill in the ranking. The periods and accounting scopes need to be kept clear when comparing figures. Liverpool FC’s financial-results announcement provides the club’s reported figures.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- OFFICIAL PREMIER LEAGUE LICENSED PRODUCT: The PUMA Orbita Play Premier League is officially licensed for the 25/26 season, bringing Premier League greatness to your game.
- MACHINE STITCHED 12 PANELS: Ensures a perfectly round shape for consistent performance and control.
- SOFT TOUCH TPU OUTER SURFACE: Features a TPU outer surface with a foam layer underneath for a soft touch and enhanced feel.
- ENHANCED STABILITY: Wounded rubber bladder provides excellent stability and air retention, keeping the ball in top shape.
- BRILLIANT DESIGN: Inspired by moments of brilliance that define the Premier League, this ball lets you shine your brightest on the field.
Rank #4
- OFFICIAL PREMIER LEAGUE DESIGN: Licensed ball for the 25/26 season featuring a high-visibility graphic inspired by nights under the lights.
- SEAMLESS FUSION CONSTRUCTION: No visible seams for superior durability, shape retention, and reduced water absorption.
- TRUE FLIGHT PERFORMANCE: Equal-surface-area panel design keeps the ball round and ensures consistent rebound and accurate trajectory.
- RESPONSIVE POWER: Foam layer provides lively rebound and striking force while maintaining a controlled, soft touch.
- RELIABLE PERFORMANCE: Rubber bladder with PUMA Air Lock valve preserves air for consistent bounce, backed by FIFA Quality standards.
Rank #3
- OFFICIAL PREMIER LEAGUE LICENSED BALL: The PUMA Orbita Pro Premier League Soccer Ball is the official ball for the 25/26 Premier League season, ensuring top-tier quality and performance.
- FIFA QUALITY PRO: Meets the highest standards set by FIFA for match balls, guaranteeing exceptional durability, flight, and control.
- PREMIUM CONSTRUCTION: Crafted with advanced materials and technology to deliver optimal touch, precision, and consistency in every game.
- BUILT FOR PERFORMANCE: Engineered for moments that win hearts, minds, and matches, providing players with everything they need to steal the spotlight and put on a show.
- ELITE MATCH BALL: Crafted to meet the highest standards, this top-tier match ball delivers exceptional performance for professional quality play.
Rank #2
- PREMIER LEAGUE REPLICA, IDEAL FOR TRAINING: Perfect ball for regular training sessions, designed as an official Premier League replica for authentic style and reliable performance.
- MACHINE-STITCHED BUILD: Reinforced stitching holds its shape and stays ready for the next session.
- 16-PANEL DESIGN: Symmetrical panel layout delivers a steady, predictable flight for accurate play.
- RESPONSIVE REBOUND: TPU outer surface delivers a smooth, comfortable touch, while EVA foam provides a firm feel and excellent rebound for accurate passes and dynamic play.
- STABILITY AND AIR RETENTION: Rubber bladder delivers stability, while the PAL (PUMA Air Lock) valve ensures excellent air retention for consistent performance.
How to use the figures
- Use the table to compare the published 2024/25 estimates and their relative order, not as a current-season ranking.
- Keep the season attached to every amount: a wage estimate is a snapshot for 2024/25, not a permanent measure of a club’s spending.
- When discussing value or performance, compare wage rank with league finish descriptively. The ranking alone cannot explain results, and the figures do not isolate wages as a cause.
- Do not mix a club’s broader staff costs from its accounts with an estimated wage-bill figure without identifying the difference in scope and reporting period.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
