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As time passes, we see player values and wages rise exponentially to match the inflation of today's transfer market. As a result, clubs -- especially the high-profile ones like Manchester United -- are forced to hike up the amounts they offer to get a player, as well as the wages-per-week just to stand a hope of getting the person they want.
Competition is rife between top clubs, which is why the sought-after superstars are being paid so much per week when they finally join a club: because teams have competed beforehand -- like at an auction -- for the player in question.
In some instances, however, a player's huge wages might be a direct result of the club's desperation to keep hold of him. If the individual has had an amazing season, the side will offer him a new contract in order to fend off interested buyers.
We saw this happen most recently with Mohamed Salah from Liverpool; he agreed to a £200,000-per-week new contract deal at the end of last season after he had broken the record for most goals scored in a 38-game Premier League season (32).
United have done a similar deal with Romelu Lukaku, after it was revealed that he became unsettled and clubs began to circle the 24-year-old. Once given a new contract, his worries subsided and he now gels well with the rest of the squad.
With that being said, let's take a look at the top five highest-paid Manchester United players in 2018.
#5 Fred -- £175,000-per-week
Fred joined Manchester United from Shakhtar Donetsk for £52m in June. The 25-year-old was highly sought after by clubs all over Europe, but United remained the front-runners throughout, thanks to their huge wealth. They were able to easily afford the transfer cost, and then leisurely lure the Brazilian to Old Trafford by offering him £175,000-per-week, which is a gigantic far cry from the reported £10,000-per-week he was being paid at Shakhtar.
Fred enjoyed a fruitful spell in Ukraine, where he worked on his craft to such an extent that he has joined Manchester United as a fully-developed professional. It's likely that he's going to tear up the Premier League this season, pulling the strings in the midfield alongside Paul Pogba. United are to be a force to be reckoned with.
#4 Romelu Lukaku -- £200,000-per-week
Romelu Lukaku joined Manchester United from Everton last season for a whopping £76m. Everton made a great deal of profit off the Belgian, having signed him for £31m just three years prior to that. Before that, he was at Chelsea but was never viewed as capable of breaking into the first eleven, therefore he was loaned out to West Brom and Everton before being sold.
One can only wonder how much Chelsea regret letting Lukaku go for such a small fee, as the 25-year-old is now worth no less than £90m!
Lukaku's £200,000-per-week wages are thanks in part to his sublime performances, and also to indicate to other clubs that United are keen on keeping him at the club for the foreseeable future.
#3 David de Gea -- £200,000-per-week
David de Gea is arguably one of the best goalkeepers in the world and his £200,000-per-week wages reflect that. He's attracted interest from top clubs around the globe, which is why United had to hike up his wages to such a level in order to fend off a lot of clubs, because other teams would then be unable to match his current wages, save for a select few.
De Gea has remained the first choice keeper at United for some time now, and rightly so. He's a long way ahead of the other goalkeepers at Old Trafford (Sergio Romero, Lee Grant, Joel Pereira), so his position looks secure.
#2 Paul Pogba -- £290,000-per-week
Despite having been practically handed to Juventus for free when he was a youngster at United, he defied the odds and showcased his ability in Serie A for all to see. Manchester United resigned Pogba just four years later for a staggering £89m -- a classic example of why clubs shouldn't dismiss youth talent so hastily.
Pogba won the World Cup with France this summer, which will mean a huge spike in his transfer value as top clubs begin to circle the 25-year-old. It also means that United might be prepared to offer him a new contract, with even higher wages to keep him at the club.
#1 Alexis Sanchez -- £400,000-per-week
At the top of this list, by a huge margin, is Alexis Sanchez.
This signing was a real statement of intent from United. The agreed deal would see Henrikh Mkhitaryan head to Arsenal in exchange for Sanchez. The switch would save a fair amount of money in transfer costs, but the wages per week certainly made up for that, as Sanchez earns £20,800,000 a year purely through his salary at Old Trafford!
However, the Chilean is yet to make a real impact at United, which has left some fans wondering whether the deal was even worth it. But next season will be Sanchez's first full campaign at the club, as he began his United career mid-way through the season as a result of his January transfer, so then will be the time to prove his worth to the world.
Will he do it? Only time will tell.
