The majority of Manchester United players will reportedly earn sizeable pay increases after the club qualified for next season’s Champions League.
Man Utd sealed their spot in the 2026–27 competition last weekend, beating fierce rivals Liverpool 3–2 to mathematically ensure a place in the top five come the end of the season. The Red Devils are currently third in the standings on 64 points—exactly half of which have been secured by Michael Carrick since his interim appointment in January.
By punching their ticket to Europe’s premier competition, The Guardian report that the bulk of Man Utd’s first-team squad will secure a 25% pay rise, although some will receive smaller increases and others will miss out entirely.
There is little clarity on exactly which members of the United team won’t be paid more. Any raise is related to individual Champions League incentivized clauses in player contracts, rather than a club-wide bonus scheme.
Only three players are mentioned in relation to pay increases, with skipper Bruno Fernandes among those to be rewarded fully. Kobbie Mainoo and Harry Maguire, who both recently signed contracts extensions at Old Trafford, will also benefit financially from the club’s Champions League return.
Who Is Man Utd’s Highest Paid Player?
Casemiro is currently the club’s best paid player, pocketing approximately $470,000 per week in Manchester. However, the Brazilian veteran will be leaving United at the end of the current campaign, opening the door for a new highest earner.
As per the report, Bruno Fernandes will succeed Casemiro, taking home around $340,000 per week when his pay increase is officially confirmed.
When compared to other widely reported figures, this raise means the Portuguese midfielder will be the Premier League’s seventh best-paid player in 2026–27—as things stand, at least—when Casemiro, Mohamed Salah and Bernardo Silva all leave their clubs.
Mainoo’s new contract is thought to be worth around $163,000 per week, which means he will still be earning less than all three of United’s forward signings from last summer.
Wage Bill Set for Dramatic Decrease
The removal of Casemiro’s enormous salary from the wage bill will certainly aid United financially heading into the summer window, even if they will struggle to replace the midfielder’s presence on the field.
A figure in the region of $100,000 per week will also be removed when Tyrell Malacia departs on a free transfer this summer, while there will be further exits for high earners.
Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and André Onana all appear likely to depart when they return from their respective loan spells, while Rasmus Højlund will be joining Napoli permanently to free up more funds.
Joshua Zirkzee and Manuel Ugarte are others who could leave for fees this summer, making room for another transformative transfer window.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Man Utd’s Highest Paid Players After ‘Champions League Increase’.
