How Hull City, Southampton, Wrexham and Derby County’s wage bills compare with play-offs in sight | OneFootball

Comparing the wage bill spending of the four clubs fighting for the final two play-off places in the Championship

Hull City, Southampton, Wrexham and Derby County are all chasing the final two play-off places in the Championship.

Sergej Jakirovic and Tonda Eckert’s sides are currently occupying fifth and sixth as we enter the March international break.

However, the Red Dragons and the Rams are lurking right behind in the battle to fight for promotion to the Premier League.

Next season, seventh and eighth will occupy spots in the play-offs as well, so it will sting even more this year for the teams who narrowly miss out on the top six.

Hull lead Southampton and Wrexham by just three points with only seven games remaining, while John Eustace’s team are a further three points back.

Here we use estimated figures from Capology to compare their respective wage bills amid their battle for the last two places inside the play-offs…

Hull City and Southampton’s best paid players

Southampton have the third highest total weekly payroll in the entire Championship following their relegation from the Premier League in 2025.

Eckert’s side earn £606,500 per week, which puts them only behind Leicester City and Sheffield United.

The Saints’ highest paid player is currently Finn Azaz, with the Ireland international joining from Middlesbrough last summer.

The playmaker arrived in a deal worth a reported £15 million, signing a deal until June 2029 which is worth £50,000 per week.

The next highest paid members of the squad are Mads Roerslev, Cameron Archer, Alex McCarthy and Jack Stephens, with the quartet all receiving £40,000 per week.

Meanwhile, Hull rank seventh in the Championship for their total payroll, which costs £407,950 per week.

The highest paid permanent member of the Yorkshire outfit’s team is Ryan Giles, with the full-back earning £35,000 per week.

Oli McBurnie is paid £25,000 per week, while John Egan, Semi Ajayi and Matt Crooks receive £17,500 per week.

Wrexham and Derby County’s wage bills

Wrexham are in their first year back in the second tier of English football since 1982, while this is Derby’s second season in the Championship since gaining League One promotion.

The Red Dragons are hoping to earn a fourth successive promotion, and they will have to do it with the 12th highest wage bill in the league.

Phil Parkinson’ squad is paid £343,550 per week, with Kieffer Moore receiving more than any other player at a cost of £30,000 per week.

Next is Jay Rodriguez’s £25,000 per week deal, followed by Lewis O’Brien’s salary of £17,500 per week.

Meanwhile, the Rams rank 14th in the division for their weekly payroll spend with a cost of £306,000.

Summer signing Carlton Morris is their best paid permanent player, with the forward receiving £25,000 per week.

Matt Clarke, Lewis Travis, Rhian Brewster and Derry Murkin all receive £20,000 per week each, while Oscar Fraulo earns £18,500-a-week.

The four teams will be hoping to hit their best form in the final weeks of the campaign, with just seven games remaining each to secure their place inside the top six in the Championship table.