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Sporting Intelligence, a website that specializes in financial reports related to different sports, recently released the Global Sports Salary Survey for the season 2018-19. The survey contains the average first-team pay of the biggest teams in football.
As is expected, the Premier League has maintained its status as the destination to be at, if a player desires a lavish pay scale. Thanks to its mammoth TV rights and sponsorships deals, the English top-tier retains its stronghold as the world's richest football league on the planet.
The Premier League is at number 4 in a list of the average salary rankings amongst all the major leagues from different sports such as cricket, basketball, football and baseball. The league is only behind NBA(Basketball), IPL(Cricket) and MLB(Baseball).
The English top-tier has 543 players in 20 teams, with a total salary ranging up to £1.6 billion. The average salary per player is £2.9 million. Let's delve in to know which of the teams have the highest average pay per player per annum for the season 2018-19.
#20 Cardiff City
Average Annual Pay per Player: £957K
Cardiff City made a stylish return to the Premier League for season 2018-19, clinching the Championship Trophy on the final day of the season. However, their homecoming to the English top flight has churned out far from matching their expectations.
They are currently languishing in the relegation zone at the 19th place, with 8 points from 13 games. They spent a meagre sum of €10.7m in the transfer market this summer.
#19 Huddersfield Town
Average Annual Pay per Player: £1.23 million
Huddersfield finished 16th in what was their first Premier League campaign last season after grabbing their promotion in the 2017 play-off finals. With David Wagner as head coach, the Terriers have kept up the good work, sitting in the 15th place with 10 points from 13 games.
They spent a fortune of €49m in the transfer market this summer.
#18 Burnley
Average Annual Pay per Player: £1.60 million
Burnley were one of the teams to watch in the Premier League last season. They finished 7th in the league and qualified for the UEFA Europa League. They will be playing in a European competition for the first time in 51 years.
However, the Clarets have failed to replicate their exciting brand of football this season. After 9 points from 13 games, Sean Dyche's men are clinging on to the 17th position, just a point above the relegation zone. They spent £29.7m in the transfer market this summer.
#17 Newcastle
Average Annual Pay per Player: £1.65 million
Newcastle United returned to the English top flight and finished 10th last season. The Magpies had one of the best transfer windows in the summer this year, however, they are yet to surpass their finishing point from the previous season.
Newcastle are currently 13th in the Premier League with 12 points from the last 13 games. They invested £31.14m in the transfer market this summer.
#16 Brighton and Hove Albion
Average Annual Pay per Player: £1.69 million
Brighton and Hove Albion spent a fortune of €69.90m to rope in a host of players for the new season. Their transfers seem to be doing the what was expected of them, as they stand in the 12th place with 15 points from 13 games.
#15 Fulham
Average Annual Pay per Player: £1.72 million
Fulham's returned has panned out to be the worst amongst the teams who qualified for the newcomers in the Premier League this season. They are currently 20th in the league with 8 points from 13 games. However, Fulham's wage bill hardly tells the melancholic tale they are living at the moment.
Fulham recently sacked Slavisa Jokanovic and handed the reigns to Claudio Ranieri. Ranieri gained immense popularity for guiding Leicester City to the Premier League title, however, it would be a sin to expect him to do the same at Fulham. At present, bringing them out of the relegation zone is the utmost priority that the manager is expected to fulfil.
#14 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Average Annual Pay per Player: £1.75 million
New coach Nuno Espirito Santo guided to Wolverhampton Wanderers to the Premier League after a six-year absence in the English top- flight. While Cardiff and Fulham are on the verge of returning back to where they came from, Wolves seem to be enjoying the taste of the Premier League.
The Wanderers are currently topping the lower half of the league table with 13 points from 16 games. They spent a fortune of €91.75m in the transfer market this summer; their transfer activity has gifted them an impressive return on investment.
#13 Watford
Average Annual Pay per Player: £1.77 million
Watford started season 2018/19 with a bang and were touted to emulate Leicester City's fairy-tale form. However, Javi Garcia's juggernaut seems to have cooled down as the season has progressed.
The Hornets have grabbed 20 points from 13 games and currently stand 9th in the league table. They invested only £25.07m in the transfer market this summer. Given their investments, they have definitely reaped a handsome reward in the league.
#12 Bournemouth
Average Annual Pay per Player: £1.98 million
Bournemouth have started season 2018-19 on a high. They have been the surprise package in the league under the shrewd stewardship of Eddie Howe. They finished 12th in the league last season and have made positive advances towards gaining a higher position in the league table.
The Cherries are currently 8th in the standings with 20 points from 13 games. Just like Watford, they spent £46.17m and have reaped rich dividends of their transfer activity.
#11 Southampton
Average Annual Pay per Player: £2.66 million
Southampton may be considerably higher on this financial list, but their results are far matching the magnitude of their wage bill. They are currently struggling in the 18th place with 8 points from 13 games.
The Saints have far from enjoyed the benefits of the £56.03m they forked out to improve their squad in the summer. It remains to be seen if they succeed in confirming their stay in the top-flight as the season ends.
#10 Leicester City
Average Annual Pay per Player: £2.71 million
Leicester City have had a moderate campaign albeit they can definitely perform better. They are currently in the 10th place, having grabbed 18 points from 13 games.
The Foxes shelled out a hefty sum of £112m in the summer to improve their squad. Going by the wage bill they have, they certainly need to up the ante so as to churn results that match that sum.
Jamie Vardy(£100k per week), Kasper Schmeichel(£80k per week) and Adrien Silva(£80k per week) are the highest earners at the club.
#9 Crystal Palace
Average Annual Pay per Player: £2.75 million
Crystal Palace topped the lower half of the Premier League table last season, however, they have failed to replicate the same form in the current campaign With 9 points in 13 games, they are 16th in the table and just a point above the relegation zone.
The current plight of the Eagles shouldn't come as a surprise after knowing that the club failed to purchase any player in the summer, plugging the gaps in the squad with loans and free transfers.
Christian Benteke(£120k per week), Mamadou Sakho(£100k per week) and Scott Dann(£60k per week) are the highest earners at the club.
#8 West Ham United
Average Annual Pay per Player: £3.18 million
West Ham United are currently having a moderate season in the Premier League. They currently stand 14th in the league with 13 points from 14 games. They finished 13th last season and it remains to be seen if they can notch a position higher up the table as the season progresses.
West Ham spent €104m in the transfer market and bought some really impressive players, but their results haven't been par with the expectations.
Javier Hernandez(£140k per week) is the club's highest-paid player, followed by Marko Arnautovic(£100k per week) and Andy Carrol(£90k per week).
#7 Everton
Average Annual Pay per Player: £3.25 million
It's safe to say that Everton have exceeded expectations under new manager Marco Silva in the Premier League this season. They are currently in the 6th place with 22 points from 13 games - five points behind 5th placed Arsenal.
Everton forked out £89m in the summer to enhance their squad. Their impressive position in the league table is a testament to the statement signings they made in the summer.
Morgan Scheniderlin(£120k per week), Gylfi Sigurdsson(£120k per week) and Theo Walcott(£110k per week) are the highest-paid players at the club.
#6 Tottenham Hotspur
Average Annual Pay per Player: £3.51 million
Amongst the top 6 in the Premier League, Tottenham have always had to cope up with the problem of having a tight budget and yet competing as title contenders in the Premier League. Yet, when a shrewd man like Mauricio Pochettino is at the helm, one can hardly expect their campaigns to be miserable.
The Argentinian tactician has been lauded for building a strong team in spite of meagre finances. The Lillywhites are 3rd in the table with 30 points from 13 games and Pochettino has a lion' share in their successful start to the campaign this season.
In the modern world where it is becoming almost mandatory for clubs to invest heavily so as to target titles, Tottenham have been stunningly impressive without shelling out a single penny in the summer.
Harry Kane(£200k per week) is the club's highest-paid player, followed in line by Heung-Min Son(£140k per week) and Erik Lamela(£105k per week). Cristian Eriksen has recently demanded a salary hike so as to stay put at the club and should Tottenham agree to his demands, the Dane will sit at the same table as Harry Kane in the wage bill.
#5 Arsenal
Average Annual Pay per Player: £4.85 million
With Arsene Wenger bowing out after two decades of stewardship at Arsenal, the club have been reinvigorated by the arrival of Unai Emery. The Gunners have made impressive strides in terms of their style of play and the new head coach is at the heart of everything good that they have done this season.
Arsenal spent only €79m in the market this summer, but one can hardly show a finger at the results they have achieved in spite of the meagre investment. They are currently placed fifth in the league with 27 points from 13 games.
Mesut Ozil(£300k per week), Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang(£180k per week) and Alexandre Lacazette(£140k per week) are the highest earners at the club.
#4 Liverpool
Average Annual Pay per Player: £4.86 million
Liverpool have successfully replicated their form from last season in this campaign. The Reds are one of the only two teams yet to be beaten, with 33 points from 13 games in the second place.
Liverpool forked out a sum of £163.8m in the transfer market this summer. It remains to be seen if the Merseysiders can clinch their first ever Premier League title this season.
Mohammed Salah(£200k per week), Roberto Firmino(£180k per week) and Virgil Van Dijk(£150k per week) are the highest earners at the club.
#3 Chelsea
Average Annual Pay per Player: £5 million
Following a lacklustre season under Antonio Conte last season, Chelsea have returned to their menacing best in the Premier League this season, thanks to the arrival of Italian mastermind Maurizio Sarri. The Blues are 4th in the Premier League table with 28 points from 13 games at present.
Chelsea had one of the best transfer windows in recent years after they shelled out €137m to improve their squad.
N'Golo Kante(£290k per week), Eden Hazard(£200k per week) and Kepa Arrizabagala(£192k per week) are the top earners at the Stamford Bridge.
#2 Manchester City
Average Annual Pay per Player: £5.9 million
Manchester City have continued their frightening domination in the Premier League under Pep Guardiola this season, following a record-breaking 2017/18 campaign. The Cityzens are topping the league table with 35 points from 13 games. With the way they have been performing, they could definitely end up as the winners if their displays are set to continue.
Manchester City made an investment of just €71m in the summer, however, looking at how complete their squad is at the moment, they hardly need fresh legs.
Kevin De Bruyne(£350k per week), Sergio Aguero(£250k per week) and David Silva(£220k per week) are the top earners at the club.
#1 Manchester United
Average Annual Pay per Player: £6.5 million
Manchester United may have endured miserable days on the turf, but when it comes to showcasing financial might, they are seldom left behind. The Red Devils have the highest wage bill in the Premier League right now. They are also placed 10th amongst the world's greatest teams from all sports in terms of the wage bill.
However, looking at the mammoth salaries of the United players, they definitely seem to be underperforming when it comes to the pitch. Jose Mourinho's men are placed 7th in the table with 21 points from 13 games and are struggling to get into the top four at the moment.
Manchester United also endured one of the worst transfer windows in recent years, shelling out only €82m in the summer. Their failure in acquiring the listed targets is the most crucial reason for their current plight in the league.
Alexis Sanchez(£350k per week) is the highest earner at the club, followed by Paul Pogba(£290k per week) and David De Gea(£200k per week).
