Arsenal is proving that a smaller wage bill doesn’t necessarily mean a weaker team, as they sit at the top of the Premier League table with a five-point lead over Manchester City. In fact, Arsenal’s annual wage bill is less than half of both Chelsea and Manchester United’s, making them the team with the smallest wage bill among the traditional “Big Six”.
According to The Mirror, Arsenal pays their players just under £98 million each year. This is significantly less than Chelsea’s £212 million wage bill, which is the biggest in the Premier League. Manchester United follows closely behind with a wage bill of £211 million, while Manchester City’s wage bill stands at £182 million. Liverpool and Tottenham have annual wage bills of £158 million and £110 million, respectively.
Despite having the smallest wage bill among the top teams, Arsenal has managed to maintain their position at the top of the table with a 16-point advantage over Manchester United. This is a testament to the team’s ability to get bang for their buck, as they have been able to compete with teams that have much larger budgets.
Outside of the top six teams, Aston Villa, Everton, West Ham, and Newcastle have the biggest budgets, ranging from £76 million to £90 million. Leicester, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Fulham, Wolves, and Southampton follow closely behind. However, Leeds, Bournemouth, and Brighton have some of the smallest wage bills in the league, spending just £35 million per year on their players’ salaries.
Interestingly, Brentford has the smallest annual wage bill in the Premier League, with Thomas Frank’s entire squad earning just over £30 million per year. Despite this, Brentford has managed to punch well above their financial weight and currently sit in eighth place in the Premier League table.
Overall, Arsenal’s success this season proves that a smaller wage bill doesn’t necessarily mean a weaker team. With smart investments and strategic management, teams can compete with much larger budgets and still come out on top.