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Manchester City are among a selective crop of elite clubs in Europe who fight for the title in every competition they contest. At the helm, they have one of the most sought after managers in Pep Guardiola, who has definitely been one of the best this century.
But football is a business and the best clubs in the game are able to maintain their status due to the financially strong machinery that works behind the scenes. Owners who can invest heavily in the club are much desired by fans and help achieve continental success on the pitch and global success in terms of popularity.
Manchester City are backed by cash-rich owners
Manchester City are blessed to have UAE-based Sheikh Mansour bin Zayad al Nahyan investing heavily in them since taking ownership in 2008. Thanks to the lofty funds he brings to the Etihad, Manchester City have hardly ever found a target too costly for their pocket.
Even though they invest heavily in signing players from other competitive clubs in Europe, not everyone in their ranks is earning a fortune. In fact, there are players in the camp whose salaries you feel would be pretty high-profile but they are lower than one would expect.
A great case in point is someone like Ruben Dias. In what was his first season at Manchester City last year, the Portuguese exceeded expectations by a big margin.
Even though the club paid €60m for his signature, it was very much a costly gamble and they tied him to a decent introductory salary of nearly £115,000 per week. For a man who won the Premier League player of the season in only his first season, he could be demanding a sky-rocketing wage during the next negotiation. But there are five other names who are quite underpaid at Manchester City:
Note: All wages are as listed on Spotrac.com.
#5 Rodri - £121,154 per week
When Pep Guardiola did not start Rodri in the UEFA Champions League against Chelsea, many Manchester City fans could see their ship sinking. With the first half getting over, even Guardiola would have realized he made a costly mistake.
It is true that the Premier League champions were always going to have a tough task finding the rightful heir to Fernandinho. But most agree that Rodri has proven his credentials to be their reliable holding midfielder for the time to come.
He earns a little over £120,000 every week, which is a handsome amount but just because he is not scoring as often as Ilkay Gundagon, doesn't mean he deserves less. Signed from Atletico Madrid for £56 million, Rodri has protected the backline to great effect.
He is a constant disruption to the opposition as they build their momentum. His perfectly timed interceptions often attract great praise. He has played a crucial role in the Sky Blues' nine Premier League games as they have only conceded four times.
The goal-line clearence of Fabinho's shot in Manchester City's tie against Liverpool epitomized Rodri's presence of mind and defensive contributions. In his third season with Manchester City, Rodri has featured for them 116 times in all competitions.
#4 Kyle Walker - £110,000
Blessed with pace in abundance, Manchester City right-back Kyle Walker is definitely among the best right-backs in the Premier League. Ever since joining Manchester City in 2017 for a transfer fee of £50 million, Walker has been a regular starter for Guardiola's men.
It wouldn't be wrong to say that he has been a successful heir to Manchester City beloved Pablo Zabaletta, their former right back. After 194 appearances for the Sky Blues, it is clear that be it shackling tricky wingers or delivering pinpoint crosses, Walker is comfortable doing both.
His current contract runs until 2024 and the 31-year-old is currently earning £110,000 on a weekly basis. Given the lofty nature of Manchester City's accounts, it does seem that a servant of Walker's quality should be earning more than that.
For England, the Manchester City player has been utilized as a right-centre-back in a rearguard of three. His physicality has helped him adapt to the situation and made him more versatile and calculative as a defender. At 31, it is difficult to see Walker getting an upgrade on the deal and he may have to serve his contract at the aforementioned wages only.
#3 Gabriel Jesus - £90,000 per week
Gabriel Jesus was brought in to be Sergio Aguero's long-term successor and the the 24-year is already in his sixth season with Manchester City. It then comes as a bit of a shock that he's among the bracket of lowest earners with Nathan Ake earning more than him.
Jesus has had a very positive start to the new campaign and a swap of positions between himself and Ferran Torres is benefitting both youngsters. The Brazilian, who earns £90,000 per week has featured in eight out of nine games for Manchester City in the Premier League. He has provided goals for the team and his five assists prove that he is comfortable playing on the right wing.
The Brazilian has often been seen playing on the wings for his national side and it's an adaptation that will probably benefit his game at City. He has pushed Riyad Mahrez and Raheem Sterling backwards in the pecking order.
With Phil Foden getting a new bumper deal and Torres also getting close to beginning negotiations, Jesus will feel he deserves one too. The Brazilian has found the back of the net 85 times for the Sky Blues and has also added 39 assists. Jesus remains popular among Manchester City fans due to his impressive work rate and relentless efforts to break into the first team.
#2 Joao Cancelo - £80,000 per week
Joao Cancelo is without a doubt one of the most versatile players in the Premier League and has always been rated highly. He has moved to his last two clubs for a fee greater than his market value. Juventus paid £36.6 million for him and then Manchester City bought him for a huge £60 million in 2019.
He was a player of proven pedigree when he moved to the Etihad in 2019. However, with Kyle Walker being Manchester City's ever-present right-back, the club tied him on a weekly wage of just £80,000.
Two seasons into the Premier League, Cancelo has really made himself look like an underpaid player thanks to his performances. He surprised everyone last season during Manchester City's title triumph as he settled comfortably both in the right-back and left-back positions.
Moreover, he is arguably the only full-back in the Premier League who has the ability to drift in the middle of the park and play effortlessly like a midfielder. Now that is the kind of skill that can win Guardiola over. No player has started more Premier League games for Manchester City than the technically gifted Cancelo this season.
He is an absolutely crucial cog in Guardiola's attacking system, having made 67 passes in the final third, more than any other player. The Portuguese has also made 28 interceptions, the most by any player in the first nine games. He is doing all of this playing at the left-back position, despite being a right-footed player. He deserves a raise Pep!
#1 Ferran Torres - £46,154 per week
Solving the problem of the lack of a centre-forward for both club and country this season, Ferran Torres has put in a string of impressive displays. A winger by nature, the Manchester City player is coached by two of the finest coaches, Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique.
Naturally, he's adapting to the new position really well under their guidance and has been a revelation for La Roja in particular. Torres has scored 12 times for his country in his 22 appearances. It was the 21-year old's brace that ended Italy's unbeaten run of 37 games in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals as Spain won 2-1.
The Spanish wonderkid arrived from Valencia for £20 million last summer and his current wages are £46,154 per week. Although he is not a regular starter for Manchester City, his contribution to Guardiola's side has been valuable. In 43 appearances, Torres has 20 goal contributions despite being in and out of the squad.
There are reports circling that Manchester City may soon begin contract negotiations with him to tie him down long-term. It would be a boost for the youngster who can be sure that he is part of City's plans for the time to come. City weren't successful in their pursuit of Harry Kane this summer, but if Torres can play 20 plus games with full fitness, they might not feel the need for reinforcements.
