The highest-paid player of each Premier League season has been unveiled, with the top earner for this season officially announced.

The highest-paid Premier League player from each season since the league’s inception has been revealed, showcasing some staggering salaries.

When the First Division transitioned into the Premier League in 1992, it brought a surge of wealth and an influx of international talent. Over the years, the league has undergone significant changes, including its initial structure of 22 teams breaking away from the Football League.

However, nothing highlights the league’s evolution more than the dramatic rise in player wages. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the median annual salary for full-time employees in the UK in 2024 was £37,430. Meanwhile, even younger footballers in the Premier League earn significantly more, with average weekly wages around £60,000, according to the PFSA. Top-tier players, however, command salaries up to five times that figure.

Here’s a breakdown of the highest-paid Premier League players each season, from 1992 to the present:

1992/93 & 1993/94: John Barnes – £10,000 per week

1994/95: Eric Cantona – £18,000 per week

1995/96: Dennis Bergkamp – £25,000 per week

1996/97: Fabrizio Ravanelli – £42,000 per week

1997/98 & 1998/99: Alan Shearer – £34,000 per week

1999/00 – 2002/03: Roy Keane – £52,000 to £94,000 per week

2003/04: Hernan Crespo – £94,000 per week

2004/05: Frank Lampard – £98,000 per week

2005/06: Steven Gerrard – £100,000 per week

2006/07: Andriy Shevchenko – £118,000 per week

2007/08: John Terry – £135,000 per week

2008/09: Robinho – £160,000 per week

2009/10 – 2012/13: Carlos Tevez – £250,000 per week

2013/14 – 2016/17: Wayne Rooney – £300,000 per week

2017/18 & 2018/19: Alexis Sanchez – £350,000 per week

2019/20: David de Gea – £375,000 per week

2020/21: Gareth Bale – £560,000 per week (mostly paid by Real Madrid)

2021/22: Cristiano Ronaldo – £480,000 per week

2022/23 – 2024/25: Kevin De Bruyne – £400,000 per week

De Bruyne remains the current top earner but is in the final year of his Manchester City con

tract, meaning this ranking could change soon.