How Man Utd’s Wage Bill Compares to Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City’s

Manchester United’s minority owners, INEOS, are intensifying efforts to curb the club’s soaring costs, with a renewed focus on trimming a wage bill that currently stands at $420 million (£313 million), the fourth-highest in the Premier League. The move is part of a broader strategy to chip away at United’s $1.75 billion (£1.3 billion) debt and inject fiscal prudency into a club that has been Europe’s highest net-spender over the past five seasons.

The club’s spending has been amplified by a string of managerial changes, each new head coach granted significant transfer budgets to reshape the squad. Erik ten Hag and Ruben Amorim have been entrusted with substantial sums to mould United in their respective images, and the next permanent coach is expected to receive similar backing. INEOS insiders believe that unchecked contracts granted under previous regimes have compounded the wage problem, and a leaner, more sustainable structure is now essential.

Despite the eye-watering payroll, United trail several of their domestic rivals. Manchester City top the Premier League wage table at $547 million, with Erling Haalone alone earning a reported base weekly salary of $706,000. Liverpool sit just above City, paying $574 million in player salaries, while Arsenal’s wage bill totals $453 million—about $33 million more than United.

The Red Devils do, however, feature two of the league’s five highest-paid players: captain Bruno Fernandes and midfielder Casemiro. The latter, whose weekly wage is estimated at $471,000, is set to leave Old Trafford this summer, providing an immediate saving on the balance sheet.

While Arsenal’s rise under Mikel Arteta has seen transfer spending approach $942 million, the club has simultaneously rewarded many of its key performers with improved contracts, steadily inflating its wage bill. Liverpool, meanwhile, offset their own wage splurge by posting revenue of more than $942 million in the 2025 financial year.

For United, the challenge is twofold: reduce the payroll without compromising on-field competitiveness and avoid repeating the costly contract decisions that have inflated the current wage structure. With INEOS now at the financial helm, a leaner, more disciplined approach to wages could prove as pivotal as any incoming signing in the club’s bid to regain parity with—and ultimately surpass—their closest rivals.