Top 10 highest paid footballers in 2018
Alexis Sanchez's swap deal from Arsenal to Manchester United makes the Chilean the highest paid player in the cash-rich English Premier League. But, where does he stand when compared to footballers across the globe? Here is the list of the top 10 highest paid footballers in 2018, as reported by Spanish tabloid Marca.
10: Graziano Pelle
Remember Southampton and Italian striker, Graziano Pelle? The 32-year-old, Pelle joined Shandong Luneng in the Chinese Super League for £12 million. But, what is mouth-watering is his massive £15 million a year wages. That is quite a jump for a man who earned £80,000 per week at Southampton and has paid for Italy just 20 times.
9: Paul Pogba
Manchester United broke the bank to sign Paul Pogba from Juventus in 2016. The Frenchman, Paul cost the Red Devils £89 million, which made him the most expensive player then. After a poor first season, the 24-year-old is showing why he is amongst the top earners. He currently leads the EPL assists charts with 9 to his name. Pogba earns £15.4 million per year.
8: Kylian Mbappe
French starlet, Kylian Mbappe took the football world by storm after his performance with Monaco last season. Since then, he has won the European Golden Boy award and earned himself a £166 million move to Paris Saint-Germain. Mbappe earns a massive £15.9 million per year and is the youngest player on this list. He is just 19.
7: Hulk
Brazilian forward, Hulk has always been among the top paid footballers across the globe. The 31-year-old joined Chinese franchise, Shanghai SIPG for £45 million in 2016. Since then, he has been one of the top performers in the Chinese Super League finding the back of the net 34 times in 52 games. His annual income is £17.6 million.
6: Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano might be Real Madrid's superstar and one of the best footballers but his pay cheque is pretty paltry compared to several other stars. Despite being the most marketable athlete in the world, it is surprising that the 32-year-old takes home just £18.5 million per year. The Portuguese hit-man is currently on contract with Madrid till 2021.
5: Ezequiel Lavezzi
Former PSG frontman, Ezequiel Lavezzi was among the high-profile stars who boarded the ship to China in 2016. The Argentine was signed by Hebei China and currently earns a massive £20.3 million pay cheque. The 32-year-old has proved worth the investment after finding the back of the net 20 times in 27 games, this season.
4: Oscar
Former Chelsea midfielder, Oscar raised several eyebrows when he traded the Premier League for the Chinese Super League at the prime of his career, but it made complete sense when it was revealed he earns £21.1 million annually. The 26-year-old joined Shanghai SIPG in a £60 million deal in December 2017. His deal to China is the most expensive transfer in the Asian Leagues.
3: Alexis Sanchez
Alexis Sanchez's transfer from Arsenal to Manchester United has been on the headlines across European papers for quite a while now. One of the finest players in the Premier League, Sanchez will take home £23.4 million a year and is currently the highest paid player in the English Premier League. Will he justify his wages is something that remains to be seen.
2: Neymar Jr.
The world's most expensive player, Neyamar Jr is second on this list. The Brazilian opted to ditch Barcelona and join the cash-rich Paris Saint-Germain, breaking the world transfer record for a massive £198 million last summer. Since then, the Brazilian has been on fire and is the favorite to break Messi and Ronaldo's stronghold on the Ballon d'Or. He earns £31.7 million annually.
1: Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi has no competition on or off the field and it is right to say he is the highest-paid footballer on the planet. The Argentine recently signed a contract extension that will keep him at Camp Nou until 2021. The new contract saw his wage rise to £40.5 million annually. 5 time Ballon d'Or winner is right now on top of the world.
