Jesse Lingard was rewarded by Manchester United for his fine form over the past two seasons with a bumper contract worth up to £100,000-a-week on Thursday.
The 24-year-old put pen to paper on a four-year deal that sees him tied to the club until 2021 and earning £75,000-a-week, although that figure will increase by £25,000 if United qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The new terms have more than trebled the England international’s wages from £30,000-a-week and propelled him up the highest earner list at Old Trafford.
However, the winger still has a host of talent above him in the pay table, with at least nine other players earning more than Lingard – and the man sitting pretty at the top may surprise you.
Despite having to accommodate the world’s most expensive player on their books, there is another Red Devil who earns more than the £89million-man Paul Pogba, with club captain Wayne Rooney earning a staggering £300,000-a-week.
His reported wage was agreed in 2014, with a stipulation included over his image rights to ensure he was always the highest paid player at United.
As a result, Pogba has settle for second spot, with the France international signing a contract worth a reported £290,000-a-week on his return to the club in 2016.
Below the midfielder, it is unsurprising to Zlatan Ibrahimovic high on the list too, earning £220,000-a-week.
The Swedish star has been key in keeping Jose Mourinho’s side in the hunt for a Champions League spot, and there is every chance his wage may increase if the club are to convince him to stick around for another season.
The only other player to break the £200,000 mark is goalkeeper David de Gea, who signed a deal for that exact amount each week after his deadline-day move to Real Madrid fell through in 2015.
Alongside Ibrahimovic, Henrikh Mkihitaryan was also handsomely rewarded for his decision to join Mourinho's side last summer, with the Armenian playmaker earning a reported £180,000-a-week.
One of the surprising names found further down the list is Michael Carrick, who has been at the club since 2006, yet only earns £80,000.
Carrick has been in the habit of extending his current deal at United, having done so under David Moyes and at the end of last season, however the 35-year-old is in talks over a new one-year contract which could see his salary rise.
At the other end of the table, Marcus Rashford sits at the bottom, currently earning just £20,000-a-week - less than any other first-team player.
However, the England striker's current deal is based on incremental rises, which will see his wage rise to £35,000, while his contract is also heavily incentivised by performance-related bonuses, too.
Like Lingard's current deal, all Manchester United players are currently on a 25 per cent pay cut due to the lack of Champions League football, something that will be put right if they can find a way into the top four or lift the Europa League this season.
And Lingard could find himself slipping further back down the table this coming summer, if United are to convince the likes of Antoine Griezmann to swap La Liga for the Premier League.
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