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Football is the most-watched sport in the world, and the amount of money involved makes it an extremely lucrative sport.
Some of the highest-paid athletes in the world are football players, including Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona's Lionel Messi. The constant pumping of money into the sport has meant that football now tends to overpay players.
Some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Manchester United, Real Madrid and Barcelona, have some of the biggest wage bills in football.
We look at the:
10 most overpaid footballers in the world right now (2021)
#10 Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona) - £208,000 per week
Samuel Umtiti's debut season at Barcelona was such that the club's fans rejoiced that they had found a long-term replacement for Gerard Pique.
The France international joined Barcelona from Lyon in 2016 for a fee of £22.5 million and immediately impressed with his displays as a centre-back. However, subsequent seasons have not been kind to Umtiti; recurring injury issues and poor performances have meant that the likes of Clement Lenglet and Oscar Mingueza are now ahead in the pecking order.
The 27-year old has made 129 appearances in all competitions since joining the club. There were suggestions that Umtiti could be released on a free last summer to reduce the wage bill, but that move did not materialize.
#9 Juan Mata (Manchester United) - £150,000 per week
There is no denying that Juan Mata was one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League during his prime, but these days he is only a rotation option at Manchester United.
When Manchester United signed Mata from Chelsea in January of 2014 for a then club-record fee of £40 million, there was excitement. The Spain international had been one of Chelsea's most important players before the arrival of Jose Mourinho, with his creativity and technical ability key to the Blues.
The 32-year old has enjoyed some good moments with Manchester United as well. Mata has made 267 appearances in all competitions for the Red Devils, scoring 50 goals and providing 47 assists. In recent seasons, though, he has predominantly been a bench option for the club, and his wages could surely be utilised in a better manner.
#8 Mauro Icardi (Paris Saint-Germain) - £168,000 per week
Mauro Icardi is an incredibly talented striker, but off-the-field controversies continue to hound the Paris Saint-Germain man.
Such were his performances for Inter Milan that the Argentina international looked set to achieve legendary status at the club. Despite his consistent goal-scoring, his poor relationship with the fans did not help his cause, and he joined Paris Saint-Germain on loan in 2019.
The Ligue 1 giants decided to sign the 28-year old a permanent deal in 2020, for a fee of £45 million. This season, though, Icardi has not been used consistently. The arrival of Moise Kean, as well as the presence of stars like Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Angel Di Maria, along with injuries has resulted in reduced game-time. Icardi has made just 19 appearances in all competitions for the club this season, scoring seven goals.
Also Read: 5 things Neymar needs to do to win the 2021 Ballon d'Or
#7 Aaron Ramsey (Juventus) - £250,000 per week
Aaron Ramsey's wages at Juventus were a heavy source of discussion when he joined the club, with multiple reports suggesting various figures.
Ramsey was always going to demand high wages, given that he was joining Juventus on a free transfer. The Wales international had been a fine servant for Arsenal during his time at the club, and competition for his signature was not going to be limited to a few clubs.
The 30-year old decided to join Juventus in 2019, and has not been at his best for Juventus. Ramsey has made 62 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring six goals and providing six assists. There have been rumors that Juventus could let go of him this summer as they look to rejig the squad. Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all been linked.
#6 Eden Hazard (Real Madrid) - £416,000 per week
Eden Hazard was supposed to be Cristiano Ronaldo's replacement when he joined Real Madrid. It would be fair to say that the move has not worked out well so far for both club and the player.
Hazard bid an emotional farewell to Chelsea in 2019, joining Real Madrid for a fee of £103.5 million. The Belgium international was regarded as one of the best players in the world when he signed for Real Madrid, and was immediately handed the no.7 jersey at Los Blancos.
Nearly two seasons have gone by, and Hazard has barely featured for Real Madrid. Constant injury issues have kept him sidelined, and the 30-year old has missed a heavy chunk of game-time as a result. Hazard has made only 36 appearances in all competitions since his arrival, scoring four goals and providing seven assists. It remains to be seen how long Real Madrid will wait patiently.
#5 Paul Pogba (Manchester United) - £300,000 per week
One of the best midfielders in the Premier League when he is on form, Paul Pogba has frustrated Manchester United fans with his inconsistency.
A product of Manchester United's academy, Pogba rejoined the club in 2016 from Juventus for a then world-record fee of £94.5 million. Since then there has been heavy scrutiny on the midfielder, with every move analyzed. It hasn't helped that he has consistently been linked with a move away for some time now, with Pogba doing little to quash those rumors.
The France international has shown flashes of brilliance for Manchester United this season. He has produced some good performances for the club, but given the fee that he cost and the wages that he is on, there is a feeling that the move has not worked out.
#4 Kepa Arrizabalaga (Chelsea)- £180,000 per week
When you are the most expensive goalkeeper in the world, you are expected to start every game for your club.
That has not been the case for Kepa Arrizabalaga. Chelsea paid Athletic Bilbao £72 million to sign the Spain international in 2018 to replace Thibaut Courtois but he is now serving as the second-choice goalkeeper at Chelsea. Such were his performances last season that Chelsea were forced to sign Edouard Mendy last summer.
The 26-year old has made just nine appearances in all competitions this season, and Chelsea will be keen to cut their losses. Valencia were linked a few months ago, but those rumors have since died down.
Also Read: 5 greatest players who have played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid
#3 Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur, on loan from Real Madrid)- £600,000 per week
One of the best players in the world during his prime, Gareth Bale continues to be one of the highest-paid footballers in the world.
After a trophy-laden spell at Real Madrid, Bale returned to Tottenham Hotspur on loan last summer. The Wales international, who became the most expensive player in the world when he joined Real Madrid, has been a rotation option at Jose Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur this season.
The 31-year old has made 26 appearances in all competitions for Spurs this season, scoring 10 goals and providing three assists. It remains unlikely that he will play for Real Madrid next season, with Bale not a fan favorite at the La Liga club.
#2 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) - £350,000 per week
In defence of Arsenal, when they offered Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang a new contract last summer, the striker was Arsenal's most important player.
The Gabon international had scored 29 goals in 44 appearances in all competitions last season, and a new contract was seen as a necessity. Aubameyang was seen as Arsenal's talisman, and his presence was seen as essential for Mikel Arteta's project.
This season, the 31-year old has struggled, though. In 33 appearances in all competitions this season, Aubameyang has scored 14 goals. His situation has been likened to that of Mesut Ozil; a high-profile player in decline who is on enormous wages.
#1 David de Gea (Manchester United) - £350,000 per week
One of the greatest goalkeepers of the modern generation, David de Gea's time at Manchester United looks to be coming to an end.
The emergence of Dean Henderson has cast a shadow over de Gea's future. The Spain international has been inconsistent in recent seasons, and Henderson has been manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's preferred goalkeeper in recent weeks. De Gea, who has arguably been Manchester United's best player since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, has been forced to play second-fiddle.
The 30-year old has made 435 appearances in all competitions for the club since his debut in 2011. He has been linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain, and Manchester United could let him go in the summer.
Note - Wages have been taken from Sportekz and SillySeason
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