Manchester City’s Top 7 Highest Earners for the 2025–26 Season
- Think Football Ideas
- 4 hours ago
- 4 min read
Manchester City’s wage structure reflects the will to dominate, depth, and long-term planning. Salaries at the Etihad now represent more than just a reward, as they signal trust, responsibility, and expectation. Each contract tells a story about tactical importance, squad hierarchy, and future direction.
Starting from established leaders to high-cost arrivals, these players underline how the Cityzens continue to balance elite performance with financial control.
Below is a closer look at the fifteen highest earners in Pep Guardiola’s squad for the 2025–26 campaign, and what their weekly wages say about their standing inside one of football’s most demanding environments today.
Man City’s Top 7 Highest Earners for the 2025–26 Season
1. Erling Haaland – £525,000 per week
Erling Haaland remains Manchester City’s highest-paid player. Since arriving in 2022, he has redefined goal-scoring standards in England. It is clear to everyone that the Norwegian's presence alters defensive structures across Europe.
The club’s willingness to commit over half a million pounds weekly reflects reliability, durability, and unmatched output. Every attack funnels toward him. Every season is measured against his numbers. Few wages in world football carry such certainty of return.
2. Bernardo Silva – £300,000 per week
Bernardo Silva’s wage reflects both versatility and longevity. Since joining City in 2017, he adapted seamlessly to multiple roles under Guardiola, dictating tempo and solving problems in high-pressure matches.
There were moments when Silva’s future seemed uncertain, with other clubs showing interest, yet Guardiola made it clear he was indispensable. That trust was rewarded in June 2025, when Silva was named club captain, cementing his leadership and demonstrating how much he has grown.
His £300,000 weekly salary mirrors his control, consistency, and value to a team built on intelligence rather than headlines.
3. Omar Marmoush – £295,000 per week
Following a strong first half of the 2024–25 Bundesliga campaign in which Omar Marmoush scored 15 goals in 17 Bundesliga games, Manchester City moved for the Egyptian forward in January 2025, as attacking output dipped during a demanding stretch of results.
Marmoush brought pace, direct running, and positional flexibility across the front line. His salary places him immediately among the club’s senior attacking options.
Such investment signals trust in both immediate impact and long-term value. At this level, financial commitment echoes expectation.
4. John Stones – £250,000 per week
John Stones’ role evolved sharply after 2023, with his movement into central areas reshaping Manchester City’s build-up play. During the current campaign, he has operated deeper within the back line, often deployed selectively rather than across consecutive fixtures.
Fitness setbacks have limited continuity, yet his wage reflects enduring faith and long-term importance. When available, Stones provides significant tactical advantages. His calmness under pressure and sense of positioning are traits that many defenders aspire to have.
5. Gianluigi Donnarumma – £250,000 per week
Gianluigi Donnarumma’s salary reflects his standing at the top level of European football. Authority in the penalty area, elite reflexes, and composure under pressure define his reputation.
Manchester City had already secured a long-term goalkeeping plan, yet Donnarumma’s availability during the summer of 2025 altered priorities. Once the opportunity emerged, City moved decisively and installed him as their first-choice option between the posts.
Fresh from a season that delivered Paris Saint-Germain a historic treble, including Champions League success, Donnarumma arrived with experience forged on the biggest stage.
He understands knockout football, hostile atmospheres, and decisive moments. In matches where margins disappear, assurance becomes priceless.
6. Ruben Dias – £250,000 per week
Manchester City completed the signing of Ruben Dias in September 2020 to address a long-standing need at centre-back following Vincent Kompany’s exit.
The deal with Benfica was valued at £65 million, with Nicolas Otamendi moving in the opposite direction as part of a separate agreement.
Dias arrived on a six-year contract, taking the number three shirt and joining a defence undergoing change. At 23, he brought Champions League experience, international exposure with Portugal, and a growing reputation for leadership.
Guardiola needed a right-sided organiser who could defend aggressively and build play from deep. Dias delivered. His £250,000 weekly wage highlights influence rather than his public image. Structure, communication, and responsibility define his value.
7. Tijjani Reijnders – £230,000 per week
Tijjani Reijnders has started commanding Manchester City’s midfield with poise and a high level of football understanding. Since moving from AC Milan in 2025, he has shown the ability to influence play both defensively and offensively.
The Netherlands international scored 15 goals in 54 games in 2024/25, earning Serie A’s Midfielder of the Year award, and starred in Euro 2024, playing every match as the Dutch reached the semi-finals.
Guardiola values his versatility and tactical insight, trusting Reijnders to maintain rhythm and control under pressure.
He also adds strength, aggression, and disciplined defensive coverage to the midfield. His £230,000 weekly wage mirrors the balance, vision, and composure he brings to the side. These Tijjani Reijnders facts offer a deeper understanding of the midfielder.
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