Top 12 highest paid EFL Championship centre-backs in 2026/27 | OneFootball

FLW ranks the top 12 highest paid Championship centre-backs this season with estimated figures provided by Capology.

The 2026/27 Championship season promises to be a very exciting one for a variety of reasons.

Wolves and West Ham, two clubs who have been Premier League regulars recently, are back in the second tier, whilst Lincoln will return to this level for the first time since the 1960s.

When you throw in some of the fiercest derby games that the country has to offer, along with a new, extended play-off format, there is a lot to look forward to.

Of course, the ultimate dream is winning promotion to the Premier League, and Hull’s promotion last season is proof that the Championship remains one of the most difficult to call in the world.

In chasing that dream, clubs continue to spend huge sums, whether that’s on transfer fees and wages.

With that in mind, FLW takes a look at the top 12 highest paid centre-backs in the league right now, although we must stress that these figures are only estimates provided by Capology…

12 ? ? Japhet Tanganga - £35,000 a week

The former Millwall man was a big signing for the Blades when he joined from Millwall, so that was always going to come with a significant salary.

Even though he has been a decent performer for Sheffield United, Tanganga perhaps hasn’t done enough to live up to the price tag, and, given their current situation, it’s unlikely that they will be signing players in that range moving forward.

11 ? ? Jack Stephens - £40,000 a week

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The Southampton skipper has been with the club for 15 years now, during which time he has seen a lot of highs and lows.

With Saints having spent a chunk of that period in the Premier League, Stephens will have been well-paid, so, whilst these are only estimates, the south coast side were always going to be among the biggest spenders on wages at this level.

10 ? ? Bashir Humphreys - £40,000 a week

The relegated clubs unsurprisingly dominate this list, although these estimates may not always take into account any wage drops that come with falling into the Championship.

Humphreys has proven himself as a top player at this level with Burnley, and whilst Nicky Hayen will have his own ideas on how he wants the team to play, the 23-year-old is expected to be crucial.

9 ? ? Santi Bueno - £40,000 a week

The Uruguayan defender actually enhanced his reputation at Wolves last season despite their embarrassing campaign, although he faces an uncertain future this summer due to the sheer number of options Peixoto has in that position.

An estimated salary of £40,000 a week isn’t huge for Wolves to carry this season, but, if Bueno isn’t going to play, they may look to move him on ahead of the deadline.

8 ? ? Joe Worrall - £40,000 a week

Worrall joined Burnley when they were a Premier League club, so his salary was always going to be hefty by Championship standards.

The former Nottingham Forest man hasn’t played as much as he would’ve wanted since he moved to Turf Moor, and he faces a battle to get into Hayen’s XI this season. Like Bueno, if he isn’t involved, Burnley certainly wouldn’t mind shifting his salary from the books.

7 ? ? Nat Phillips - £40,000 a week

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This is the first really surprising one on the list, and we will reiterate that these are estimates, but Phillips was a decent signing for West Brom at the time, and he would have been on decent money as he had been at Liverpool.

After a tough few years, the Baggies have started to spend a bit more this summer, and a productive window means they head into the new season with confidence.

6 ? ? Calum Chambers - £45,000 a week

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Chambers is also a surprise name on this list of estimated salaries, as Cardiff were in League One last season, but his pedigree means the former Arsenal man was always going to be a high-paid player at the Welsh club.

The 31-year-old played a big part in Cardiff’s promotion, and Brian Barry-Murphy will no doubt expect Chambers to be a positive influence on-and-off the pitch this season.

5 ? ? Ladislav Krejčí - £45,000 a week

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Krejci is another relegated player on the list, with the Czechia captain having joined Wolves permanently this summer for over £20m after his loan was made permanent.

So, he was always going to be on a big wage at Championship level, but there are major doubts over whether Krejci will still be at Molineux when the deadline has passed. If he is, it will be a major boost for Peixoto, as he could be key to the team this season.

4 ? ? Konstantinos Mavropanos - £50,000 a week

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Mavropanos is one of several West Ham players on this list, which gives an indication of the huge sums that they have been paying in the top flight over the years.

To be fair to Mavropanos, he was a standout performer last season, as he put in some dominant displays at the back in their fight to survive. It looks like they will manage to keep the Greek international, and he will be a massive player for Nuno this season.

3 ? ? Jean-Clair Todibo - £80,000 a week

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Todibo was another player that West Ham paid a lot of money for, and it was seen as a real coup when the French international joined the club.

He hasn’t lived up to expectations either, and a summer move feels inevitable, something which both the player and the club will welcome, and it will clearly save the Hammers a chunk each week.