The Top 10 Most Expensive Football Contracts in 2024

To play for football clubs, all players need to have formal contracts. The best players naturally get the best-paid contracts because of the revenue they can generate and their contributions on the pitch towards the success of the club. 

In this post, we will be looking at the top 10 most expensive football contracts in 2024. But first,

let’s take a brief look at what these contracts are made up of in the first place. 

What do football contracts consist of? 

The most important part of a contract is the player’s salary. This is typically paid weekly or monthly, and it can be fixed or variable. Variable salaries can be based on performance, such as goals scored, clean sheets or appearances made.

In addition to their salary, players can also earn bonuses for meeting certain criteria. Common bonuses include winning trophies, scoring goals, and being named to the team of the week or month.

Another important part of a football contract is the player’s image rights. Image rights are the player’s right to use their name, likeness, and image for commercial purposes. Clubs typically own the player’s image rights during the term of their contract. However, players can negotiate to retain some or all of their image rights.

The player’s wage demands are often the most contentious issue in contract negotiations. Clubs are typically reluctant to pay players more than they are worth, while players want to be paid the maximum amount that they can get.

Players typically hire agents to negotiate their contracts. Agents typically charge a commission of 10-15% of the player’s salary.

In addition to these specific details, football contracts also typically include general terms and conditions, such as the length of the contract, the player’s duties, and the club’s obligations.

Here are some additional details that may be included in a football contract:

• Loan agreements: Players can be loaned to other clubs for a specified period of time. This can be a mutually beneficial arrangement for both the player and the club.
• Competition clauses: These clauses can restrict a player from playing for a rival club.
• Non-disclosure agreements: These clauses prevent players from disclosing confidential information about the club.
• Warranties: These clauses guarantee that the player is fit and able to play football.
• Insurance: The club may be required to insure the player against injury.

Here’s the Top 10 Most Expensive Football Contracts in 2024:

10. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid) 23,000,000 euros 

The Atletico Madrid forward has been the standout performer in this past La Liga season. And he is the top earner from the Rojiblancos, taking home a wage of around €23 million. 

9. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) 23,000,000 euros 

What was most impressive about the Belgian was that he negotiated his new contract with City all on his own. All the while keeping his world-class performances from dropping. He is Manchester City’s best-paid player in terms of base salary, but there is now a new name over him in terms of the total amount. 

8. Eden Hazard (Real Madrid) 25,000,000 euros 

The Belgian earns the highest wage at Real Madrid but doesn’t play. His 2019 transfer from Chelsea has been nothing short of a disaster. And with only one year remaining on his deal, it seems likely that Hazard could retire soon. 

7. Robert Lewandowski (Barcelona) 26,000,000 euros 

Having joined the Blaugrana from Bayern Munich, Lewandowski is the best-paid player from Barcelona. He is set to win the Pichichi trophy in his very first season in Spain, showing his brilliance in spite of changing countries. 

6. Erling Haaland (Manchester City) 33,000,000 euros 

Haaland is now the best-paid player from Manchester City, with bonuses taking his earnings to great highs. The Norwegian had an incredible debut season in the Premier League and has triggered almost every bonus available in his contract for a massive payout. 

5. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool) 35,000,000 euros 

The Egyptian king starts off the top five most expensive football contracts in the world, with a €35m deal tying him down to Liverpool. Salah has firmly established himself as a club legend and has been performing incredibly well ever since he joined the Reds. 

4. Neymar (PSG) 55,000,000 euros 

The Brazilian remains the most expensive signing in the history of football at €222 million. And he is also one of the best-paid footballers in the world with an annual salary of €55m.

3. Lionel Messi (PSG) 65,000,000 euros 

Neymar’s PSG teammate, Lionel Messi, is the second from the French side to feature on the list. Arguably the greatest player in the history of the sport, he has the opportunity to move to Saudi Arabia on a €400 million deal. But, for the time being, is set to see out the final month of his contract with the Parisians. 

2. Kylian Mbappe (PSG) 110,000,000 euros 

In Europe, Kylian Mbappe has the most expensive football contract of all, with a €111m payout per season. The France international is one of the top forwards in the world and is the face of the PSG project. As a result, he has been compensated handsomely, amidst interest from Real Madrid. 

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr) 200,000,000 euros 

With image rights and salary, Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for the most expensive football contract on the planet. The Portugal international joined Al-Nassr during the January transfer window on a record €200 million deal for two years. 

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