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Manchester City have been the dominant force in the Premier League over the last decade and under Pep Guardiola they have become even stronger. Despite a slow start to the 2021-22 campaign, they are threatening to run away with the league right now with an 11-point lead at the top after 23 matches.
The turnaround in the club's fortunes has been a direct result of the takeover by Sheikh Mansour in 2008. As the club's coffers were filled with new money they could afford to buy big names and most of their signings have made a good impact on the pitch.
Manchester City spend less on forwards than Arsenal and Tottenham
Manchester City have the second-best attacking record in the Premier League at the moment but they rank eighth in the league when it comes to wages spent on forwards.
More than half of their annual wage budget of £141,956,000 is spent on midfielders. Ederson Moraes' wage details have not been revealed as of yet but it is estimated that he earns anywhere between £150,000-£200,000 per week.
On that note, here we take a look at the five highest-paid players at the club at the moment.
(Note: All figures as sourced from Spotrac.com)
#5 Bernardo Silva - £150,000 per week
Bernardo Silva came through Benfica's youth academy but made just one league appearance for them in 2015. He rose to prominence at Monaco, scoring 22 goals in the two seasons with the Ligue 1 side and earned a £43.5 million move to Manchester City in the summer of 2017.
This season, he has emerged as one of the key players for the Cityzens. He is one of the only three players to have started all the games in the Premier League for them this season and is the top scorer with seven goals so far.
He signed a fresh contract with the club in 2019, which runs till 2025, but given his fine form, he might be in for a contract extension in the summer. Midfielder Fernandinho also earns £150,000 per week for his services.
#4 John Stones - £250,000 per week
John Stones regained form last season, where his partnership at the back with Ruben Dias helped Manchester City run a tight ship at the back. This season, the English defender has been plagued with injuries and has made just five appearances in the league.
He has improved his ball-playing abilities at the club, and apart from regular defending, he can also get away from his opponents with a little feint here and there. He was awarded a new contract at the start of the season that will keep him at the club till 2026.
#3 Raheem Sterling - £300,000 per week
Raheem Sterling has proved to be a good signing for Manchester City, though his price tag of £49 million in 2015 raised a few eyebrows. The 2014 Golden Boy winner has proved worthy of the hefty price tag, as his performances in 2017-18 and 2018-19 helped City to back-to-back league titles.
The speedy winger produced the best return of his career in the 2019-20 campaign, scoring 20 goals in the league. He is again on track to reach double-digit figures in goals this season, and he is currently the top scorer at the club alongside Bernardo Silva.
Sterling's contract expires in the summer of 2023 and he is yet to agree to a new contract. It is expected that as and when the club and the player come to an agreement, he will receive a significant pay raise.
#2 Jack Grealish - £300,000 per week
Manchester City made Jack Grealish the most expensive British footballer in history as they paid £100 million for the attacking midfielder last summer. The Aston Villa academy product has enjoyed a slow start to his career at the club and has two assists and two goals to his name in the Premier League so far.
He is yet to integrate himself into the squad but there is a lot of scope for improvement and he can enhance his skills even further under Guardiola's tutelage.
#1 Kevin De Bruyne - £400,000 per week
Kevin De Bruyne is one of the best midfielders of his generation and only a few players able to rival his vision and distribution skills. He has scored six goals this season, but has just two assists to his name this season as he has struggled with match fitness so far.
The Belgian midfielder was made one of the best players in the world as City offered him an improved deal last year, with him pocketing £20,800,000 per year.
The former Chelsea star has flourished under Guardiola, who has given the Belgian relative freedom to operate on the pitch. His long-range shooting has also helped the player score quite a few screamers during his spell with Manchester City, with the latest coming against his former club Chelsea in the Premier League in January.
