20 Highest-Paid Players in La Liga

Kylian Mbappe’s arrival at Real Madrid has put an end to the multi-year saga that was the player’s flirtatious relationship with the reigning European champions. It was expected that the French superstar would make a move after he announced his departure from PSG, and the most obvious transfer in recent years was finally confirmed.

In joining the Spanish giants, Mbappe will take a significant pay cut, having previously been the recipient of the most expensive contract in football history. Although his deal with Los Blancos is set to include a wide array of lucrative incentives and bonuses, his weekly salary won’t make him the top earner in La Liga.

With Madrid and Barcelona players at the forefront of this list, there can be little surprise that the purse strings have to be tightened, especially in the case of the Catalan outfit. Below is a list of the 20 highest-paid players in La Liga.

10 Thibaut Courtois

£242,400 p/w

The Belgian shot-stopper has managed to forge a remarkably successful career for himself. With two Champions League titles and multiple domestic honours, Thibaut Courtois has firmly established himself as one of the best goalkeepers to have played the game.

Pocketing nearly a quarter of a million pounds per week, the former Chelsea and Atletico Madrid man is ordinarily good value for money. However, a horrible ACL injury meant that he was on the sidelines for most of the 2023/24 campaign. He did return in time to keep a clean sheet in this year’s Champions League final, reminding the world of what he is capable of when at his best.

9 Federico Valverde

£269,387 p/w

In a team full of superstar midfielders, Federico Valverde has endeared himself to the Bernabeu faithful through his hard-working performances and his willingness to play anywhere asked of him. That’s not to suggest he lacks talent. Far from it. However, he is forced to suffer playing on the right of midfield when he is clearly more suited to playing centrally.

The 25-year-old is well compensated for his sacrifices, mind. Walking away with close to £300k p/w must make the blow of being made to play out of position sting a little less. He might be one of the most underrated names in world football, but at least his club recognise his value.

8 Ilkay Gundogan

£303,00 p/w

It is well documented that Barcelona have struggled with their finances in recent years. Contracts like this one give a clear insight into why. Despite the fact that Ilkay Gundogan is still a top player, being one of the best in his position in the world, paying such a wage to a player who is 34 in October is not the smartest decision.

Perhaps the fact that the German was signed on a free transfer allowed him to ramp up his salary demands. Regardless, questions still have to be asked about deals like this each time Joan Laporta makes calls for a Super League.

7 Vinicius Jr

£336,613 p/w

The next three men on this list all tie for fifth place. In the case of Vinicius Jr, some might say his exploits mean that he deserves to be ranked much higher. The Brazilian is one of, if not the best player in the world currently. He has scored in two Champions League finals and has become Los Blancos’ most important attacking threat.

Despite all that, there are still three of his teammates either on par or earning more than the electric winger. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that the electric winger will eventually sign a new deal to take him on par with some of the better-paid stars in Spain.

6 Jan Oblak

£336,613 p/w

The first and only player in the top ten not to play for either Real Madrid or Barcelona. The Slovenian legend had big shoes to fill when he was chosen to replace long-standing loanee Courtois in 2014. In the decade that followed, Jan Oblak showed himself to be one of the best number ones on the planet.

Interest in his services was commonplace. Despite that, Oblak stayed loyal to Diego Simeone and has been financially thanked in return, now earning more than Courtois. In fact, his incredible salary only puts him behind Manuel Neuer as the highest-paid goalkeeper in the world.

5 Jude Bellingham

£336,613 p/w

This figure is bound to increase in years to come. In just one season in the Spanish capital, Jude Bellingham has established himself as arguably the most important player in Carlo Ancelotti’s superhero-like squad. The Englishman finished as the club’s top scorer in La Liga and was named the La Liga player of the season.

Mbappe’s arrival means that the 20-year-old may end up falling in the shadows somewhat. Or, it could help raise his game as he looks to prove that he is still the top dog, not only at Madrid but also in world football. Bellingham still has over a decade of earning these eye-watering sums ahead of him.

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4 David Alaba

£363,600 p/w

Much of what was said earlier about Thibaut Courtois, can apply to David Alaba. The Austrian is, when fit, among Europe’s elite defenders. However, an ACL injury not only cut his season short but makes him one of the brightest talents to miss out on representing his country at Euro 2024.

Alaba joined Real Madrid on a free transfer from Bayern Munich, allowing his wage demands to be significantly higher than what they would be had a fee been paid. Whilst the 32-year-old is bound to be happy with what he is making, there are still three players in the division who are earning more than him.

3 Kylian Mbappe

£505,000 p/w

Kylian Mbappe may have been expected to be the highest-paid player in the Spanish top flight after finally securing his long-awaited move to the Santiago Bernabeu. While the French superstar is raking in more than half a million pounds each week, there are still two higher-earning stars in Spain.

The 25-year-old already has multiple French league titles and domestic cups to his name as well as a World Cup triumph with his country. It’s one of the biggest moves the modern game has seen as the 2024 Ballon d’Or contender swapped Paris for the famous white of Real Madrid. He is expected to reach new heights in his new club’s colours, and he will be desperate to finally get his hands on the Champions League trophy.

2 Robert Lewandowski

£538,612 p/w

Indeed, Robert Lewandowski earns over £30,000 per week more than Mbappe. This isn’t too surprising though, as Barcelona were in desperate need of a goalscorer two years ago and Lewandowski was in search of a new challenge having already dominated the Bundesliga.

With a salary of more than £500,000 p/w, there do have to be some question marks over whether an ageing striker is worth this sum of money. Lewandowski was still banging in the goals last season, but a decline from previous years is evident. Could this end up being another costly mistake by Laporta and Co?

1 Frenkie De Jong

£605,999 p/w

When you see the staggering amount of money that Frenkie De Jong is earning at Barcelona, it is no wonder why he is so desperate to stay. As good as he is, it is hard to fathom any other top side in Europe matching the gigantic wage the Dutch international is currently sitting on.

Rumours of his departure from the Nou Camp have been persistent in recent times, but it seems as though this is more a case of the club being desperate to remove his wages from their books than anything else. Even if the player has undoubted quality, this is still one of the biggest signs of Barca’s financial mismanagement to date.

All salaries in this article are courtesy of Capology (Correct as of 21/07/2024)