Filthy rich! Three Premier League stars make Forbes' highest earners list
- Seb Sternik
- 26 September 2021
Despite stiff competition from PSG's Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr and Kylian Mbappe, it is a Premier League star who tops the latest Forbes list of the top ten highest-paid soccer players.
Lionel Messi, who topped Forbes' rich list last year, looked certain to retain his crown following his dramatic transfer from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain.
Team-mates Neymar Jr and Mbappe are close behind in third and fourth place. The pair will earn £69million and £31million, respectively.
Question is, who are the three Premier League stars on the list and where do they rank. Planet Sport is here to answer both questions.
Paul Pogba - Manchester United
Let's work our way up the top ten list.
The first Premier League name that comes up is Paul Pogba who takes spot number eight - ahead of Gareth Bale (£23million) and Eden Hazard (£21million).
The Manchester United midfielder is in his sixth season at Old Trafford since returning to the club in 2016 from Juventus.
Rumours about a potential transfer away from Manchester intensify every summer yet the Frenchman is still a Red Devil, and remains an integral part of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's plans.
As things stand, PSG are favourites to land Pogba's signature at around 9/4 while Real Madrid are close behind on 4/1. It's fair to say that either one of those moves would certainly help the 28-year-old advance up the Forbes list.
Nevertheless, Pogba's isn't doing too bad financially at United. His current salary of £19million and endorsement deals worth up to £5million make him the eighth highest earning soccer player in the world.
Mohamed Salah - Liverpool
Up in fifth position is Liverpool's Egyptian King, Mohamed Salah.
The 29-year-old is ahead of Andres Iniesta (£25million) - yes, he's still playing - and Robert Lewandowski (£25million).
Cristiano Ronaldo - Manchester United
Yes, it's Cristiano Ronaldo who tops the Forbes highest paid players list, taking the crown away from rival Lionel Messi.
Despite his age, the Portugal international is still hot property - something that is reflected by his financial intake.
Ronaldo's total £91million earnings are made up of his £51million salary and endorsement deals worth around £40million.
Some would say soccer players shouldn't earn that kind of money but when you consider the impact Ronaldo has on merchandise, stock shares and social media numbers, you begin to understand that a lot of his value is concentrated in areas away from the soccer pitch.
That, however, shouldn't detract from his abilities on the pitch as well. Despite being just four years away from his 40th birthday, the Portuguese forward has had a tremendous impact on United in recent weeks.
