The 20 highest paid players in the 2017-18 English Premier League
The Premier League is awash in money. The league signed a massive new television deal a few years ago, far and away the richest in Europe. Throw in a club like Manchester City, with an ownership group with such deep pockets, and it is no surprise that players in the English top flight are well compensated.
Thanks to data from Spotrac, we took a look at the 20 highest-paid players in the English Premier League. Of that group, Manchester City claims the most players, with six. Manchester United and Arsenal have four each, with United boasting three of the five highest-paid players in the league. Chelsea and Liverpool have two players each, while Tottenham Hotspur and, interestingly, West Ham United, have a solitary representative on the list.
Note: all the figures below have been converted from English pounds into American dollars.
T-19. Chicharito — $9,561,333.60
Club: West Ham United
Position: Forward
Age: 30
Contract: Heading into the second year of a three-year, $28,496,875.68 contract.
Country: Mexico
One thing to know: His name, Chicharito, stands for "little pea." His father, also a professional soccer player, was nicknamed "pea."
T-19. Ilkay Gundogan — $9,561,333.60
Club: Manchester City
Position: Midfielder
Age: 27
Contract: Heading into the third year of a four-year, $37,995,834.24 contract.
Country: Germany
One thing to know: Gundogan spent several seasons with Borussia Dortmund in Germany before coming to the Premier League.
T.-17 Raheem Sterling — $10,244,286
Club: Raheem Sterling
Position: Forward
Age: 23
Contract: Heading into the fourth year of a $50,887,278.00 contract.
Country: England
One thing to know: Sterling played for another Premier League club, Liverpool, before joining Man City in 2015.
T.-17 Vincent Kompany — $10,244,286
Team: Manchester City
Position: Defender
Age: 32
Contract: Heading into the final year of a six-year, $61,064,733.60 contract.
Country: Belgium
One thing to know: Kompany has frequently captained both Manchester City and Belgium.
16. Cesc Fabregas —$10,654,057.44
Team: Chelsea
Position: Midfielder
Age: 31
Contract: Entering the last year of a five-year, $52,922,769.12 contract.
Country: Spain
One thing to know: Fabregas is second all time in assists in the Premier League, after Ryan Giggs.
15. David Silva —$10,927,238.40
Team: Manchester City
Position: Midfielder
Age: 32
Contract: Entering the second of a three-year, $32,567,857.92.
Country: Spain
One thing to know: Silver has been nicknamed "Merlin" due to his creativity and passing ability.
14. Virgil Van Dijk —$11,268,714.60
Team: Liverpool
Position: Defender
Age: 27
Contract: Entering the second year of a six-year, $67,171,206.96 contract.
Country: The Netherlands
One thing to know: His national team coach, Ronald Koeman, previously managed Everton, Liverpool's biggest rival.
T.12-Henrik Mhkitaryan —$12,293,143.20
Team: Arsenal
Position: Midfielder
Age: 29
Contract: Entering the third year of a four-year contract worth $48,851,786.88 with an option for a fifth year.
Country: Armenia
One thing to know: He is Armenia's all-time leading goal-scorer, as well as the first Armenian to play in the Premier League.
T.12-Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang —$12,293,143.20
Team: Arsenal
Position: Forward
Age: 29
Contract: Entering the second year of five-year, $61,064,733.60 contract.
Country: Gabon
One thing to know: His father, whom he has cited as a major inspiration, was also a professional soccer player.
11. David de Gea —$13,659,048
Team: Manchester United
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 27
Contract: Currently in the fourth year of a four-year, $54,279,763.20 contract. But he is reportedly set to sign a new contract.
Country: Spain
One thing to know: De Gea nearly transferred to Real Madrid in 2015, but did not due to a "deadline day administrative error," according to the Manchester Evening News.
10. Mohamed Salah —$13,659,048
Team: Liverpool
Position: Forward
Age: 26
Contract: Entering the first of a five-year, $67,849,704.00 contract.
Country: Egypt
One thing to know: Salah is the reigning Premier League player of the Season.
9. Alexandre Lacazette —$13,659,048
Team: Arsenal
Position: Forward
Age: 27
Contract: Entering the second year of a five-year, $67,849,704.00 contract.
Country: France
One thing to know: Lacazette had a decorated career with Lyon in France's Ligue 1 before moving to Arsenal in 2017.
8. Eden Hazard —$13,659,048
Team: Chelsea
Position: Midfielder
Age: 27
Contract: Entering the fourth of a five-year, $67,849,704.00 contract.
Country: Belgium
One thing to know: Hazard has been frequently linked with transfers to Real Madrid or Paris Saint-Germain.
7. Harry Kane —$13,659,048
Team: Tottenham Hotspur
Position: Forward
Age: 25
Contract: Entering the first of a six-year, $81,419,644.80 contract.
Country: England
One thing to know: Kane came up through the Spurs youth system.
6. Sergio Aguero — $15,024,952.80
Team: Manchester City
Position: Forward
Age: 30
Contract: Entering the fifth year of a five-year, $74,634,674.40, though it has been reported he has since extended that initial contract.
Country: Argentina
One thing to know: Aguero holds the Manchester City record for goals scored.
5. Romelu Lukaku —$17,073,810
Team: Manchester United
Position: Forward
Age: 25
Contract: Entering the second year of a five-year, $84,812,130.00 contract.
Country: Belgium
One thing to know: He memorized every goal from a World Cup when he was six-years-old.
4. Kevin De Bruyne —$19,122,667.20
Team: Manchester City
Position: Midfielder
Age: 27
Contract: Entering the first of a five-year, $94,989,585.60 contract.
Country: Belgium
One thing to know: Was named the Manchester City Player of the Season last season, in which City ran away with the Premier League.
3. Paul Pogba —$19,805,619.60
Team: Manchester United
Position: Midfielder
Age: 25
Contract: Entering the third year of a five year, $98,382,070.80 contract.
Country: France
One thing to know: Set a then world-record transfer fee of £89 million when he moved to Manchester United from Juventus in 2016
2. Mesut Özil —$20,915,417.25
Team: Arsenal
Position: Midfielder
Age: 29
Contract: Entering the second of a four-year, $83,115,887.40 contract.
Country: Germany
One thing to know: At the time of his transfer to Arsenal, Özil was the most expensive German player in history.
1. Alexis Sanchez —$21,513,000.60
Team: Manchester United
Position: Forward
Age: 29
Contract: Entering the second of a five-year, $106,863,283.80 contract.
Country: Chile
One thing to know: Only recently joined Manchester United from Arsenal.
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