The highest paid EFL Championship XI ft Leicester City & Southampton stars | OneFootball

FLW has looked at what an XI made up of the division's highest earners per position would look like

As ever, there are plenty of high-profile stars on show in this season's Championship, especially when taking the sides recently relegated from the Premier League into account.

All of Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton, as well as Sheffield United, are benefitting from the 'Parachute Payments' scheme, which sees the four respective clubs aided when suffering relegation to help avoid financial collapse after falling out of the top flight and into the EFL, where revenue opportunities are far lesser.

As a result, there is still a strong gap when it comes to the financial resources at the disposal of clubs with much more recent top-flight pedigree to that of several second tier rivals.

With that being said, Football League World has looked into the 11 players that would make up the highest paid lineup in the division, with figures coming as ESTIMATES as per Capology.

GK: Alex McCarthy - Southampton

Taking up the goalkeeper position in this XI is Alex McCarthy of Southampton, who is the division's highest-earning shot-stopper with a weekly wage of £40,000.

The 35-year-old has made over 150 appearances for the Saints, and has recently regained his place as Will Still's starting option ahead of an out-of-form Gavin Bazunu.

RB: Ricardo Pereira - Leicester City

The first of six Leicester City stars within this team is club captain and right-back, Ricardo Pereira.

According to Capology, the experienced Portuguese defender takes home a weekly sum of £80,000. However, Marti Cifuentes won't exactly care about such off-field matters when Pereira has been one of his star performers since taking over at the King Power Stadium, still showcasing strong defensive nous and a desire to create goalscoring opportunities at the other end of the pitch, as proven with neat finishes against Birmingham City and Oxford United.

CB: Ben Godfrey - Sheffield United

Ben Godfrey has endured a tough time of late, with his Sheffield United spell not getting off to the best of starts either.

The one-time England international was one of several defensive additions made by Ruben Selles in the recently-closed transfer window, with the Atalanta loanee said to earn a weekly wage of £75,000 - by far the highest at Bramall Lane.

Chris Wilder will certainly hope the York-born man's form improves, as his versatility at right-back and centre-back could prove useful throughout the campaign.

CB: Jannik Vestergaard - Leicester City

Jannik Vestergaard is hoping to end the season with two promotions in three seasons with Leicester, as he remains one of the most senior figures and top earners at the King Power with a weekly wage of £60,000.

The Danish centre-back formed an extremely strong partnership with Wout Faes two seasons ago, and has already shown signs of doing the same again this season, as well as complimenting the highly-rated Caleb Okoli on occasions too.

The highest-paid left-back in the Championship is the second loanee to feature, with Matt Targett moving from Newcastle United to Middlesbrough on a temporary basis in the latter stages of the summer window.

It would be no surprise if Targett's estimated wage of £60,000 is split in some form between the two North East sides, and his presence has certainly aided a rapid start to the season for Rob Edwards at the Riverside Stadium.

The 30-year-old has already proven his worth in an attacking and defensive sense with Middlesbrough rarely beaten at the back, as well as utilising width to great effect when in forward areas - proven by his well-taken first goal for the club at Preston North End.

CM: Harry Winks - Leicester City

According to figures, Harry Winks takes the honour of being the second tier's highest-paid player with an eye-catching weekly wage of £90,000.

The ex-Tottenham Hotspur man was integral in Leicester's title-winning season under Enzo Maresca two seasons ago, and whilst he has been in and out of Cifuentes' starting lineup in the early weeks of the season, it would be no surprise if the same set of circumstances played out this campaign.

Having previously made 10 appearances for England, Winks possesses vision and technical ability that many would argue has no business being in the Championship, despite the mixed fortunes he has endured with the Foxes.

CM: Boubakary Soumare - Leicester City

Alongside him is fellow Leicester midfielder Boubakary Soumare, who is said to earn £80,000 per week in the East Midlands.

The Frenchman joined the club for £17m back in July 2021, making over 102 appearances for the Blues in the process. After spending the club's last season at this level on loan with La Liga side, Sevilla, the box-to-box midfielder has already shown in flashes why he is one of the highest-paid players in the division, oozing class in the middle of the park.

CM: Joe Aribo - Southampton

Joe Aribo of Southampton makes up this midfield trio with a weekly sum of £70,000, although the majority at St Mary's will debate that such figures are hardly justifiable.

The man who scored four times in 38 Championship appearances two seasons ago is yet to feature under Will Still, having been left out of his opening-day squad against Wrexham due to reported transfer negotiations amid interest from Turkish Süper Lig side, Besiktas.

With Aribo the club's highest earner overall, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him leave in January if his gametime remains sparse.

RW: Bobby De Cordova-Reid - Leicester City

The first of two wingers is another experienced Leicester figure in the form of Bobby De Cordova-Reid.

The Jamaican international signed a three-year contract following the club's return to the Premier League last time out and is believed to collect a weekly pay packet of £35,000 - £5,000 more than the next right-wing options in the Championship in the form of Tom Ince and Tom Fellows.

Reid has also been in and out of Cifuentes' lineup, but was there when it mattered to help the Foxes salvage a late point against West Brom at The Hawthorns as his fizzing volley was deflected home by Nat Phillips.

LW: Ryan Fraser - Southampton

Ryan Fraser has been one of Southampton's most consistent performers during a tumultuous recent period, with the Scottish winger's estimated salary of £40,000 making him the highest-paid left-winger in the Championship.

The 31-year-old has now won promotion twice out of the division and will be hoping the Saints can address their early-season form and mount a sustained run for the automatic or play-off spots between now and May.