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With Liverpool falling just short of the Champions League places this season, many fans were quick to point out that the club are at a competitive disadvantage compared to league rivals Arsenal, Chelsea, and the two Manchester clubs. And while it’s true Liverpool throw less money around than their English competition, on a global scale it’s rather hard to claim the club are paupers.
That’s because Liverpool Football Club have the 14th highest paid squad in sport. Amongst teams and clubs in every sport and every league around the globe, Liverpool are 14th. Which makes their failure to win a domestic title in more than two decades seem a touch bleak, even if on a slightly smaller, Premier League-sized scale they obviously haven’t been the best placed side to pick up silverware at any time over that stretch.
According to Sporting Intelligence’s global sports salary survey, which ranks based on each player’s average salary, Liverpool moved from 20th biggest spenders last season to 14th in the current edition, with an average player salary of £67,486 a week. Paris Saint Germain top the list, paying an an eye-watering £101,898 a week to their players on average. Madrid and Manchester City are close behind, paying between £96-97k.
League rivals Manchester United come sixth at £89,999, while Chelsea are eighth and Arsenal 10th at £83,713 and £77,963 respectively. No other English clubs finished in the top 20. Fenway Sports Group’s other main sporting interest, the Boston Red Sox, came 17th overall and were baseball’s sixth highest paying team, with their players earning an average weekly salary of £63,703.
