Premier League Wage League Table 2026: The Bottom Half Laid Bare
The money swirling around the Premier League remains eye-watering, but as ever there’s a stark split between the haves and the have-a-bits. Salary data compiled by SalaryLeaks (with some clubs’ totals estimated) lays out the landscape, and it tells a familiar story: smart operators keep pace without breaking the bank, while others spend plenty just to stand still. Brentford carry the division’s smallest wage bill at £54.4m, while Everton top this half of the list on £76.3m. If you’re sizing up trends like these as a fan — or even browsing the best betting sites for a flutter — the value-for-money table is as revealing as the league table itself.
20) Brentford — £54.4m
Year after year, Brentford prove that brains beat brawn. Even after Bryan Mbeumo’s exit and with Keith Andrews steering the ship, the Bees remain tidy and competitive on the smallest wage bill in the league. Top earners reflect their sensible structure: Reiss Nelson (£3.9m), Mikel Damsgaard (£3.9m), Jordan Henderson (£3.9m), Aaron Hickey (£3.7m) and Dango Ouattara (£2.9m). Minimal outlay, maximum organisation — classic Brentford.
19) Burnley — £54.4m
Back up and battling, but life’s hard with the second-lowest pot. Scott Parker is leaning on nous and legs, yet competing week to week is a grind. The headline earner is six-time Premier League winner Kyle Walker (£3.6m), with Loum Tchaouna (£3.1m), Josh Cullen (£2.9m), Jaidon Anthony (£2.6m) and Lyle Foster (£2.6m) following. Pragmatic wages, but Premier League survival asks for big moments — and quickly.
18) Bournemouth — £58.5m
Andoni Iraola has modernised the Cherries and, even post-Dominic Solanke’s exit to Spurs, they’ve kept the ship steady while trimming costs. The wage sheet is modest: Evanilson (£4.2m), Justin Kluivert (£4.2m), Ryan Christie (£3.6m), David Brooks (£3.6m), Amine Adli (£3.6m). Not flash, but functional — and that’s often enough on the south coast.
17) Brighton & Hove Albion — £61.3m
Brighton keep doing Brighton things: sharp recruitment, tidy coaching, and a lean payroll. Fabian Hürzeler’s had teething issues, but the long-term picture still looks clever. Highest earners are Ferdi Kadioglu (£4.6m), Kaoru Mitoma (£4.2m), Lewis Dunk (£4.2m), Georginio Rutter (£4.2m) and Danny Welbeck (£3.1m). Youth, upside, resale — the model remains intact.
16) Sunderland — £62.6m
The play-off winners have attacked the top flight with purpose. Regis Le Bris added steel and know-how, and that outlay is targeted rather than reckless. The big cheques go to Granit Xhaka (£5.7m), Nordi Mukiele (£4.7m), Lutsharel Geertruida (£4.0m), Brian Brobbey (£3.9m) and Enzo Le Fée (£3.9m). Survival looks realistic because the spend matches the plan.
15) Wolverhampton Wanderers — £64.0m
Vítor Pereira initially injected energy, but losing Matheus Cunha has bitten. Still, Wolves’ wage bill is balanced enough to keep the floor high if the defending sharpens. Top earners: João Gomes (£5.2m), Jørgen Strand Larsen (£4.7m), Hwang Hee-chan (£3.9m), Emmanuel Agbadou (£3.9m) and Toti Gomes (£3.9m). Pragmatic numbers; now they need punch in the final third.
14) Leeds United — £64.1m
Daniel Farke’s side aren’t blowing the doors off, but they’re trending safe with a sensible spend. The marquee wage is Dominic Calvert-Lewin (£6.2m), who’s delivered the goals to justify it. Behind him: Jack Harrison (£4.7m), Sean Longstaff (£4.2m), Daniel James (£3.9m) and Noah Okafor (£3.7m). It’s a Championship-winner core with a Premier League-end product.
13) Crystal Palace — £66.6m
FA Cup glory lit the touchpaper under Oliver Glasner, but with Michael Olise off to Bayern and Eberechi Eze moving on, the wage hierarchy has reset. New top bracket: Daichi Kamada (£5.2m), Dean Henderson (£5.2m), Eddie Nketiah (£5.2m), Yeremy Pino (£4.7m) and Cheick Doucouré (£3.9m). The glass-half-full view: more balance, more buy-in, fewer passengers.
12) Fulham — £75.8m
Marco Silva has kept the Cottagers comfy without Aleksandar Mitrović, which says plenty about structure. The top earners are spread across the spine: Bernd Leno (£6.3m), Samuel Chukwueze (£6.2m), Raúl Jiménez (£5.2m), Joachim Andersen (£4.7m) and Alex Iwobi (£4.2m). Middle-of-the-road wages, mid-table returns — job done.
11) Everton — £76.3m
Everton’s spend has been heavy for years with precious little to show, but there’s been a slow tidy-up around the edges. Even so, stars still command a premium: Jack Grealish’s loan comes in at a massive £11.7m, with Jordan Pickford (£7.8m), Idrissa Gueye (£6.3m), Jarrad Branthwaite (£6.2m) and James Tarkowski (£6.2m) close behind. The bill says mid-table; the football needs to catch up.
The bigger picture
Two truths stand out. First, historic heavyweights remain near the top of the wage charts; second, the best-run clubs squeeze extraordinary output from ordinary budgets. Saudi Arabia’s chequebook influence keeps nudging salaries north, but you don’t have to outspend to outperform. The bottom half proves it.
Method and notes
Figures are sourced from SalaryLeaks and include estimates where full data isn’t available. Totals and salaries reflect the 2026 landscape as reported at the time of writing.
