As Premier League profits soar to close to $1 billion, clubs are spending more than ever to attract the highest-level talent to their squads.
Highly effective midfielders come with premium price tags.
Casemiro is the highest-paid Premier League midfielder of 2025. He earns $24 million per year playing for Manchester United. The Brazil international signed a three-year deal worth $69.5 million in 2022.
Casemiro has enjoyed a fruitful career, mainly in Spain. He’s won the Champions League five times with Real Madrid.
Declan Rice comes in second with his $16.5 million salary. The London-born Rice now plays for Arsenal after joining from fellow Premier League club West Ham on a deal worth $64.7 million in the summer of 2023.
Third, with earnings of $15.8 million annually, is İlkay Gündoğan of Manchester City. The German national has played in Germany, Spain, and England since 2008. With Manchester City, he’s won six league titles and the 2022-2023 Champions League. He’s in his second stint with the Premier League heavyweights after spending 2023-24 with Barcelona.
Fourth on the list is Manchester City teammate Rodri. The 2024 winner of the prestigious Ballon D’Or winner scored the winning goal in the 2023 Champions League final for Manchester City and helped Spain win the 2024 European Championship.
Rounding out the top five is Thomas Partey of Arsenal, earning $13.7 million. Partey signed to Arsenal from Atletico Madrid in Spain in 2020. He’s been named Ghana Player of the Year four times.
Experience pays well in the Premier League.
Casemiro’s $24 million salary is nearly $8 million more than the next highest earner. He’s also played in the most matches of any player in the top five with 318.
Ranking The Highest-Paid Premier League Midfielders
Here is the entire list of the highest-paid Premier League midfielders. The list was compiled with data from Capology.
- Updated: April 21, 2025
| Rank | Player | Team | Total Compensation |
| 1 | Casemiro | Manchester United | $24.4 million |
| 2 | Declan Rice | Arsenal | $16.75 million |
| 3 | İlkay Gündoğan | Manchester City | $16.1 million |
| 4 | Rodri | Manchester City | $15.4 million |
| 5 | Thomas Partey | Arsenal | $13.96 million |
| 6 | Enzo Fernández | Chelsea | $12.6 million |
| 7 | Bruno Guimarães | Newcastle United | $11.2 million |
| T-8 | Youri Tielemans | Aston Villa | $10.5 million |
| T-8 | Alexis Mac Allister | Liverpool | $10.5 million |
| T-8 | Moisés Caicedo | Chelsea | $10.5 million |
| T-8 | Boubacar Kamara | Aston Villa | $10.5 million |
| T-8 | Kalvin Phillips | Ipswich Town | $10.5 million |
| T-8 | Christian Eriksen | Manchester United | $10.5 million |
| T-8 | Mateo Kovacic | Manchester City | $10.5 million |
| T-8 | Ryan Gravenberch | Liverpool | $10.5 million |
| T-8 | Joelinton | Newcastle United | $10.5 million |
| 17 | Amadou Onana | Aston Villa | $9.8 million |
| T-18 | Mikel Merino | Arsenal | $9.1 million |
| T-18 | Abdoulaye Doucouré | Everton | $9.1 million |
| T-18 | Matheus Nunes | Manchester City | $9.1 million |
| T-21 | John McGinn | Aston Villa | $8.4 million |
| T-21 | Manuel Ugarte | Manchester United | $8.4 million |
| T-21 | Sandro Tonali | Newcastle United | $8.4 million |
| T-21 | Dominik Szoboszlai | Liverpool | $8.4 million |
| T-21 | Idrissa Gueye | Everton | $8.4 million |
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