Arsenal
How Much the Premier League’s Biggest Earners Paid in Tax: The Figures Explained
Top Premier League earners paid more than £100 million in tax; eight notable players and their bills
The top 10 Premier League earners paid more than £100 million to the U.K. Treasury between them. The estimated tax bills reveal how sizable salaries translate into substantial public contributions.
Estimated tax payment: £7.8 million. The ephemeral German was widely considered to be Arsenal’s highest-paid player before Bukayo Saka earned himself a bumper new deal in January. The England international will surely find his way onto this list next year with that pay packet flooding his way.
Estimated tax payment: £7.9 million. A seven-digit tax bill represents some transformation from Gabriel Jesus’s modest beginnings. To earn some extra money as a football-loving scamp, the Brazilian painted the streets of his neighbourhood in preparation for the home World Cup in 2014. Two years later, Jesus won Olympic gold at the Rio de Janeiro games for Brazil alongside Neymar Jr., one of the faces he had painted on the curbs of his local area.
Estimated tax payment: £8.8 million. Omar Marmoush’s hefty tax bill may very well be indicative of the financial reward which Manchester City offered him as incentive to leave Eintracht Frankfurt in the middle of last season. Thus far, it seems to have worked out better for Marmoush’s bank balance—and the coffers of the U.K. Treasury—than City.
Estimated tax payment: £9 million. One of Bernardo Silva’s understated qualities which Pep Guardiola cherishes more than some of his obvious technical gifts is the capacity to never show a “bad face” even in defeat. A look at his latest tax bill may have contorted Bernardo’s expression.
Estimated tax payment: £9 million. One way for Bruno Fernandes to rid himself of any tax demands would be to belatedly accept those eye-watering offers which roll in from Saudi Arabia. There is no personal income tax in the Kingdom. However, as Jordan Henderson discovered to his own cost, it’s not that simple. A former U.K. resident must spend the rest of that tax year and the entire following tax year outside the U.K. to ensure that their earnings are not subjected to Britain’s tax laws.
Estimated tax payment: £9.7 million. The two-year contract extension which Virgil van Dijk signed last April cemented his status as the world’s highest-paid defender. How times have changed. When the Dutch centre back was coming through the ranks of his local youth side in Breda, he worked as a dishwasher at a local restaurant earning €3 per hour.
Estimated tax payment: £9.8 million. Raheem Sterling’s tax bill next year is set to be a lot more modest. After willingly tearing up his contract at Chelsea this month, the former England international is reportedly prepared to accept less than a third of the £325,000-a-week wage which he collected at Stamford Bridge.
Estimated tax payment: £10.9 million. Casemiro won’t have to pay up for much longer. Manchester United’s midfield totem has announced he will be moving onto pastures new come the end of the current campaign. Saudi Arabia and its tax incentives has been upheld as a potential option while Major League Soccer could also offer a new landing spot. U.S. taxes are dependent upon each state, which play some part in Casemiro’s thinking when he weighs up the bevvy of suitors vying for his attention this summer.
Arsenal
Arsenal Restore Yellow For 2026-27 Third Kit
Arsenal have brought back yellow for their 2026-27 third kit, with ambition driving the new design.
Arsenal have revived a familiar look for their 2026-27 third strip, bringing back yellow for the first time in five years.
The colour had not appeared on the pitch since 2021-22, when it was last used in match kit form. Since then, it has been kept largely for lifestyle collections, but it now returns for Mikel Arteta’s side as they prepare for the new campaign.
Released with the tagline “Arsenal State of Mind,” the design is built around the idea that the club is “more than a club” and instead “a shared sense of possibility.” That message fits the mood around Arsenal this season, with expectations high after last season’s Premier League title and a drive to add European success.
Alessia Russo spoke about what the kit represents from a player’s perspective. “Being part of Arsenal means being part of something bigger than yourself,” said Arsenal Women forward Alessia Russo. “There’s a sense of belief, ambition and togetherness that connects everyone who loves this club.
“That’s what Arsenal State of Mind means to me. It’s the feeling that we’re all part of the same journey and pushing towards the same goals. We can’t wait to wear this kit and create more amazing memories with our supporters this season.”
The third kit is completed with navy shorts and socks, and is now available through Arsenal and adidas.
The club’s ambitions do not stop there. Kai Havertz made clear that the target is to keep pushing after last season’s league triumph. “We want all the trophies,” he vowed. “That’s what we’re here for. We won the Premier League now but there’s a lot more that we can do.
“We have to reach another level to make that happen because we know how long the season is and how hard it is to go through all the competitions. We want to do it better again this year and make things happen again.”
He continued: “I think we can, or we have to go further. ”
Arsenal
Vinícius Jr salary link would push Arsenal’s wage bill to new heights
Vinícius Jr could top Arsenal’s wage bill, but Erling Haaland still leads Premier League pay.
Arsenal’s pursuit of Vinícius Jr. has been described as one that could reshape the club’s wage structure from top to bottom. Reports suggest the reigning Premier League champions are prepared to do whatever it takes to land the Real Madrid forward, with The Athletic also indicating that any package could be strengthened by a substantial sign-on bonus and image rights arrangement.
If a move is completed, the financial impact would be immediate. Even if Vinícius Jr. arrived on the same salary he currently earns at Real Madrid, he would still leap ahead of every player in the Arsenal squad. That alone shows the scale of the proposed deal and why it would be viewed as a major statement from the champions as they look to protect their crown.
At present, Bukayo Saka is Arsenal’s highest earner after signing a new five-year contract earlier this year reportedly worth around £300,000 ($402,000) per week. Kai Havertz follows on approximately £280,000 ($378,000) weekly, according to The Guardian. Declan Rice is reported by The Independent to earn around £250,000 ($337,000) per week, while Martin Ødegaard is said by The Athletic to be on approximately £240,000 ($319,000) per week, with his current deal running until 2028.
Those figures would all sit below a Vinícius-level salary. The Brazilian would move clear of Arsenal’s current top tier and become the club’s most expensive player by a significant distance.
Even so, that would not place him at the summit of Premier League pay. That position remains with Erling Haaland. The Manchester City striker signed a nine-and-a-half-year extension in January 2025, with The Guardian reporting that the contract is worth around £500,000 ($674,000) per week.
Arsenal
How Arsenal Might Shape Up If Guimarães Arrives
Guimarães could alter Arsenal’s shape, with Rice, Zubimendi and Ødegaard all affected by Arteta’s choices.
Bruno Guimarães is increasingly being linked with a move to Arsenal, and the signs point in one direction even if nothing has been completed. He is thought to be keen on the switch to North London, while his absence from Newcastle’s squad for its preseason training camp in Spain has only intensified the expectation that a transfer could be close.
If Arsenal do get the deal over the line, Mikel Arteta would be adding a midfielder with a rare range of qualities. Guimarães can operate as a holding player, step into a creative role or drive the team forward as a box-to-box presence, giving the manager a level of flexibility few players offer.
One option would be to keep the 4-2-3-1 shape Arsenal used across much of their 2025-26 Premier League title-winning season. That system usually featured Declan Rice and Martín Zubimendi as the double pivot, with a No. 10 in front of them, wingers on either side and a lone striker leading the line. In that scenario, Rice would almost certainly keep his place, which would leave Zubimendi as the likeliest player to step aside, even after a strong first season at the Emirates.
The logic is clear enough. Guimarães spent large parts of last season in a midfield two alongside Sandro Tonali, but was still able to move higher, join attacks and make late runs into the box. That freedom helped him finish with nine Premier League goals and six assists. The complication is that Rice also likes to advance, while Arteta may be reluctant to reduce Zubimendi’s influence after how valuable he became.
A second route may be more realistic: removing the No. 10 role altogether. Arsenal would still have width from Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, while Noni Madueke and new signing Christos Tzolis provide further options. That would put Martin Ødegaard’s place under pressure. It would be a major call to leave out the captain, but his attacking return has dipped over the last two seasons. Last year, he managed just one goal and seven assists in 24 appearances, and often struggled to supply the decisive creative touch associated with him.
