Since its inception in 1992, the Premier League has grown into the biggest football league in Europe. The English top flight has seen a massive rise in commercial revenue, which now sets their clubs apart from the rest of Europe in terms of monetary capabilities. In addition, players have also been offered massive salaries over the years.

And the numbers have only been getting higher over the years, with Manchester United and City players dominating the list of the highest earners in every Premier League season over the last 31 years.

All 31 Premier League season’s highest earners revealed

1992-93: John Barnes – £10,000-a-week
1993-94: John Barnes – £10,000-a-week
1994-95: Eric Cantona – £18,000-a-week
1995-96: Dennis Bergkamp – £25,000-a-week
1996-97: Fabrizio Ravanelli – £42,000-a-week
1997-98: Alan Shearer – £34,000-a-week
1998-99: Alan Shearer – £34,000-a-week
1999-00: Roy Keane – £52,000-a-week
2000-01: Roy Keane – £52,000-a-week
2001-02: Roy Keane – £90,000-a-week
2002-03: Roy Keane – £94,000-a-week
2003-04: Hernan Crespo – £94,000-a-week
2004-05: Frank Lampard – £98,000-a-week
2005-06: Steven Gerrard – £100,000-a-week
2006-07: Andriy Shevchenko – £118,000-a-week
2007-08: John Terry – £135,000-a-week
2008-09: Robinho – £160,000-a-week
2009-10: Carlos Tevez – £250,000-a-week
2010-11: Carlos Tevez – £250,000-a-week
2011-12: Carlos Tevez – £250,000-a-week
2012-13: Carlos Tevez – £250,000-a-week
2013-14: Wayne Rooney – £300,000-a-week
2014-15: Wayne Rooney – £300,000-a-week
2015-16: Wayne Rooney – £300,000-a-week
2016-17: Wayne Rooney – £300,000-a-week
2017-18: Alexis Sanchez – £350,000-a-week
2018-19: Alexis Sanchez – £350,000-a-week
2019-20: David de Gea – £375,000-a-week
2020-21: Gareth Bale – £560,000-a-week (majority paid by Real Madrid)
2021-22: Cristiano Ronaldo – £480,000-a-week
2022-23: Erling Haaland – £865,000-a-week
2023-24: Erling Haaland – £865,000-a-week

Liverpool forward John Barnes started off earning £10,000 per week in 1992, which was the highest at the time. His earnings were overshadowed two years later by Manchester United legend Eric Cantona, earning £18,000 a week, followed by Dennis Bergkamp who earned £25,000 a week.

The Premier League’s all-time highest goalscorer Alan Shearer was the top earner for two seasons, earning £34,000 per week. Manchester United then handed Roy Keane a £52,000 per week contract that was eventually doubled to £94,000.

In 2003, Roman Abramovich’s arrival at Chelsea brought in a new era, with Hernan Crespo becoming the highest earner in 03/04, followed by club icon Frank Lampard.

Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard was the top earner in 05/06 and the first one to earn £100,000 a week. Chelsea continued to spend big, handing John Terry and Andriy Shevchenko two massive deals, before Robinho crossed the £150,000 mark.

Then arrived Manchester City, fresh off their Middle Eastern takeover. They offered Carlos Teves a £250,000 deal at the time, which was the record for four years. It was overcome only by Wayne Rooney, whose £300,000 deal was the highest for another four years.

(Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Alexis Sanchez then signed a £350,000 contract even though things didn’t work out for him at United, before David De Gea signed his £375,000 deal. Gareth Bale returned to Tottenham on loan in 2020/21 and earned a combined £560,000 which was mostly paid by Real Madrid.

In 2021, Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United to earn a huge £480,000 per year deal. But only a year later, Erling Haaland joined Manchester City and has been the highest earner in the Premier League for the last two seasons, being paid £865,000 per week.

Erling Haaland Manchester City — Via Manchester City’s Twitter

And with the way things are going, it seems only a matter of a few years before someone starts earning a million pounds a week, shattering the all-time record.