Leeds United wages: Who is the best paid player at the Whites and everything you need to know about Leeds’ salary bill
Leeds United wages: Who is the best paid player at the Whites and everything you need to know about Leeds’ salary bill
How much do the Leeds players earn annually and who receives the most into their account?
Leeds United, one of the most storied clubs in English football, narrowly missed out on a Premier League spot after losing to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley during the 2023-24 season. However, they’ve quickly put that disappointment behind them and now find themselves battling for promotion once more.
This term, things are looking bright once again for Daniel Farke and his players. Thanks to their exceptional management, as well as convincing displays, the Whites are strong favorites to secure promotion back to the Premier League.
On the other hand, they are one of the strongest clubs financially in England’s second division. Their wage bill reflects their ambitions, featuring some of the highest-earning players in the league, many of whom bring valuable experience from playing at top European clubs.
So, who is the highest earner at Elland Road this season? And who is on the opposite end of the spectrum?
GOAL delved into the numbers from Capology and found out!
*Salaries are gross and on an annual basis
Goalkeepers
With close to 200 appearances for Leeds United, Illan Meslier is the joint-highest paid goalkeeper in the squad along with Welsh goalkeeper Karl Darlow.
Meanwhile, 32-year-old Alex Cairns finishes at the bottom of this three-man list.
| Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Illan Meslier | £1,560,000 |
| Karl Darlow | £1,560,000 |
| Alex Cairns | £260,000 |
Defenders
Former Barcelona left-back Junior Firpo is one of the club’s top earners, and deservingly the highest-paid defender in the Leeds United squad. The Dominican has been immense offensively.
Dutch centre-back Pascal Struijk, who has spent his entire career at Leeds United, is the club’s second-highest paid defender, with the third spot belonging to Wales international Joe Rodon.
Meanwhile, 25-year-old Isaac Schmidt is the lowest-paid defender at the club.
| Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Junior Firpo | £3,120,000 |
| Pascal Struijk | £2,600,000 |
| Joe Rodon | £2,080,000 |
| Maximilian Wober | £1,820,000 |
| Jayden Bogle | £1,560,000 |
| Sam Byram | £1,040,000 |
| Isaac Schmidt | £520,000 |
Midfielders
Topping the list for midfielders is USMNT star Brenden Aaronson. The top three is completed by Ethan Ampadu in second and Ao Tanaka in third.
Joe Rothwell is the lowest-paid midfielder at Leeds United.
| Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Brenden Aaronson | £2,340,000 |
| Ethan Ampadu | £2,080,000 |
| Ao Tanaka | £1,300,000 |
| Ilia Gruev | £780,000 |
| Joe Rothwell | £416,000 |
Attackers
It’s no surprise to see Patrick Bamford at the top of the list as the highest-paid attacker, but fans are bound to be concerned about the wages he’s earning, especially considering that his last official goal for Leeds United came back in April 2024. Given his long goal drought, many supporters may feel his current salary isn’t reflecting his recent contributions on the pitch.
Second on the list is Israeli winger Manor Solomon, who is currently on loan from Tottenham Hotspur. However, many fans might feel that it should be Daniel James sitting at the top of this list, given how crucial the Welshman has been for Leeds in recent seasons. James’ consistent performances and impact on the team’s attack have made him a fan favorite, and some might argue he deserves more recognition in terms of his wages.
Italy international Wilfried Gnonto is the fourth-highest paid attacker, ahead of Largie Ramazani.
Joel Piroe and Mateo Joseph are the joint-lowest paid attackers. Piroe is Leeds’ leading goal scorer this season, yet his wages seem to tell a different story. Despite his vital contributions up front, his pay does not appear to match his importance to the team.
| Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Patrick Bamford | £3,640,000 |
| Manor Solomon | £3,120,000 |
| Daniel James | £2,600,000 |
| Wilfried Gnonto | £1,560,000 |
| Largie Ramazani | £910,000 |
| Joel Piroe | £780,000 |
| Mateo Joseph | £780,000 |
Top 5 highest-paid Leeds United players
Three of the five highest-paid Leeds United players come from the attack: Bamford, Solomon, and James.
Defenders Firpo and Struijk close out the top five earners.
| Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Patrick Bamford | £3,640,000 |
| Junior Firpo | £3,120,000 |
| Manor Solomon | £3,120,000 |
| Pascal Struijk | £2,600,000 |
| Daniel James | £2,600,000 |
Top 5 lowest-paid Leeds United players
The top two lowest earners at the club are both on the wrong side of their thirties: Cairns and Rothwell.
Schmidt is the third-lowest paid player. Meanwhile, Gruev and Piroe jointly-share the final two positions, earning just under a million pounds each.
| Salary | |
|---|---|
| Alex Cairns | £260,000 |
| Joe Rothwell | £416,000 |
| Isaac Schmidt | £520,000 |
| Ilia Gruev | £780,000 |
| Joel Piroe | £780,000 |
Total salary costs Leeds United
So, what does this mean for the bigger picture? In which area of the pitch are Leeds United investing the most, and how much do they spend annually on first-team salaries?
The Whites are allocating over £14 million to their attackers’ salaries, which is not surprising given that they have quite an embarrassment of riches in their forward line.
| Salary | |
|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | £3,380,000 |
| Defenders | £12,740,000 |
| Midfielders | £6,916,000 |
| Forwards | £14,170,000 |
| Total | £37,206,000 |
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