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The ISL has given us many memorable moments since the league came into existence in the year 2014. The idea of having India's best players exposed to the quality of foreign legends was the main premise behind having marquee players in the first few seasons and it turned out to be a big hit.
Now that the league is growing and is in its fourth year, Indian talents are starting to shine and foreigners, who are in their prime, are coming to play in India.
It makes for some interesting reading when you have the details of earnings of each ISL player. No doubt that strikers earn the most since scoring goals is of primary concern, but midfielders are vital in setting up the goals and hence are priceless in their own rights.
Here are the highest paid midfielders of ISL 4:
#5 Sameehg Doutie - $209,670 (Rs 1.3 Crore)
South African talent Sameehg Doutie made his name in India during a stint with two-time champions ATK. This time Doutie is playing for newbies Jamshedpur FC. The versatile midfielder is yet to light the stage up this season as he has made a handful of appearances but it is clear that the Jamshedpur FC management thought highly of him, offering him well above a crore for his services this season.
Doutie has the ability to pull the strings in midfield and can be considered a manager's dream with his work ethic and willingness to get on the ball.
#4 Raphael Augusto - $230,000 (Rs 1.4 Crore)
Chennaiyin FC brought Brazilian Raphael Augusto to India in 2015 in the form of a loan spell which saw him win an ISL winner's medal in his very first year with the team. Since then the midfielder has cemented his place in the Chennaiyin squad and continues to be an important part of their plans as the Super Machans look to emulate the glory of the trophy-winning season.
His performances at the club have earned him high praise and a hefty cheque, making him one of the highest paid midfielders of ISL 4. It goes without saying that another impressive stint with Chennaiyin will definitely help Augusto increase his salary.
#3 Toni Dovale - $244,448 (Rs 1.5 Crore)
Bengaluru FC are flying high in their debut ISL season. The team is currently at the top of the table as their strike pairing of Sunil Chhetri and Miku is doing heavy damage to the opposition.
One of the players who was expected to do similar damage is Toni Dovale who was brought in on a one-year deal which saw him earn a significant amount of money. However, the Spanish winger has struggled to get going so far and hasn't featured enough for the ISL newbies.
It remains to be seen if Bengaluru FC decide to offload him or not, but for just one season, this Spaniard is making a pretty big payday.
#2 Manuel Lanzarote - $295,000 (Rs 1.8 Crore)
FC Goa supporters are widely considered as one of the most passionate and die-hard fans in the country. The team belongs from a state where football has always superseded any other sport. So when the signing of Manuel Lanzarote was announced last year, there was an air of hope and expectation around the Spaniard. The former Barcelona B player has hit the ground running at his new club and has already scored eight times. The winger is a huge fan favourite and his sound technical ability and goal-scoring acumen justify the amount the FC Goa management is spending on him.
#1 Achille Emana - $300,000 (Rs 1.9 Crore)
Mumbai City FC were looking to refurbish their side this season with hopes of clinching the trophy in their fourth attempt. They shelled out almost Rs 2 Crore to acquire the services of Cameroonian attacking midfielder Achille Emana. The move has somewhat worked with Emana scoring twice for Mumbai but his contributions will be considered slightly lacklustre since he was expected to score more often from the No. 10 position.
Having said that, Emana is a player who has significant experience behind him with successful stints in France as well as Spain. Now edging towards the end of his career, Mumbai fans will hope that the 35-year-old can pull off something special in the last few matches of the season.
