The 10 highest paid players in the Championship: Kalvin Phillips joint top… | OneFootball

While not quite Premier League levels, the wages in the Championship are going up and up and ahead of the new season, we’ve ranked the top 10 earners in the division.

Kalvin Phillips’ return to Sheffield United has again made him one of the biggest earners in a division that is, frankly, dominated by West Ham spending far too much on mediocre players.

Here are the top 10 earners ahead of kick-off this weekend:

10.) Jean-Clair Todibo (West Ham) – £80k a week

Todibo does look to be heading out the door after he did not make an appearance in West Ham’s friendly against Portsmouth with Marseille, Milan and Napoli all reported to be considering a move.

The signing of Joel Veltman shows West Ham already have a replacement ready to go.

9.) Toti Gomes (Wolves) – £80k a week

Wolves signed the 6ft 2’ centre back in 2020 from Portuguese club Estoril and the now club captain signed a contract extension in February 2024.

That five-and-a-half-year deal is valued at £80k a week, which gets him a spot on this list.

8.) Tomas Soucek (West Ham) – £90k a week

West Ham are waiting on the fitness of Tomas Soucek after he picked up an ankle injury in the Czech Republic’s World Cup game against Mexico.

Reports are he could return earlier than expected which will be key for West Ham given he is clearly one of the better players in their team.

7.) Niclas Fullkrug (West Ham) – £90k a week

One of the more baffling signings of West Ham history, which says a lot.

West Ham dished out £17m for Fullkrug after he scored 26 goals in a season for Dortmund but it took him until December to score his first goal for the club having been ruled out through injury.

From there, his game time was increasingly limited until he was sent on loan to Milan in January. The San Siro side had a buy option but declined to activate it.

For now, West Ham are stuck with the 33-year-old.

6.) Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham) – £90k a week

Wan-Bissaka was one of the few West Ham players to not look awful all season last year but he is reportedly close to a move away.

Everton and Aston Villa are rumoured to be interested in signing the ex-Manchester United prospect.

Can you name West Ham’s 10 most expensive sales in history?

5.) Edson Alvarez (West Ham) – £100k a week

The 28-year-old spent last season on loan at Fenerbahce and is expected to leave once more this summer.

Fabrizio Romano says Real Sociedad and Ajax are interested and West Ham will surely be happy to get the £100k-a-week salary off their books.

4.) Max Kilman (West Ham) – £100k a week

West Ham centre back Max Kilman is taking home £100k a week having joined from Wolves in 2024.

The 29-year-old will likely be central to West Ham’s hopes of returning to the top flight at the first time of asking.

3.) Aaron Ramsdale (Southampton) – £120k a week

Having failed to impress at Newcastle, Ramsdale is back at Southampton who gave him an enormous salary back in 2024.

That has proven to be a mistake with the now 28-year-old only having made 30 league appearances for the Saints – the season in which they went down – but that number could go up as there is little talk of a move elsewhere. He has another year to go before becoming a free agent.

2.) Kalvin Phillips (Sheffield United) – £150k a week

There is somehow still two years remaining on Phillips’ City contract and he will be spending the penultimate of those in Sheffield.

The former Leeds man has bounced around clubs since falling out of favour in Manchester, playing for West Ham and Ipswich before spending the second half of the season on loan at Sheffield United.

The 30-year-old is heading back to Bramall Lane but the Blades will surely not pick up his whole contract.

Sheffield United’s current top earner, Japhet Tanganga, is on £35k a week while Phillips is taking home £150k.

1. Jarrod Bowen (West Ham) – £150k a week

Bowen staying was the decision many Hammers fans would have loved to see but perhaps not many expected to.

The former Hull player, who by being married to Danny Dyer’s daughter seems wedded to the West Ham way in the same way that jellied eels are, announced his intent to stay in Stratford and fight to get West Ham back up to the top flight.

West Ham are paying him handsomely to do so with Bowen on a reported wage of £150k, making him the top earner in the Championship alongside Phillips, but if it contributes to a return to the top flight, it will be well worth it.