How much is a Premier League manager really worth? In January 2026, the answer still depends on one thing above all: what the club is buying. Some pay for trophies right now, others pay for a steady rebuild, and a few pay for a manager’s proven system because they believe it will travel, even when results wobble.
This guide sets out the highest paid Premier League managers of the 2025/26 season, using the latest widely reported salary estimates available as of January 2026. You’ll get a clear top 10 list, plus the context that matters, such as base pay versus bonuses and why figures can shift when reports switch between GBP and USD.
The top 10 highest paid Premier League managers in 2025/26 (ranked list)
Manager pay is rarely published in official club accounts, so these numbers come from aggregated reporting and should be read as estimates. Contracts can be reworked, bonuses can raise totals, and exchange rates can change the look of a salary when a report starts in USD rather than GBP.
| Rank | Manager | Club | Reported annual pay (GBP) | Approx weekly pay (GBP) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pep Guardiola | Manchester City | £20.0m | £385k |
| 2 | Mikel Arteta | Arsenal | £10.0m to £13.0m | £192k to £250k |
| 3 | Unai Emery | Aston Villa | £8.0m | £154k |
| 4 | Michael Carrick | Manchester United | £6.5m | £125k |
| 5 | Arne Slot | Liverpool | £6.2m | £119k |
| 6 | David Moyes | Everton | £5.0m to £12.5m | £96k to £240k |
| 7 | Thomas Frank | Tottenham Hotspur | £5.0m | £96k |
| 8 | Keith Andrews | Brentford | £4.5m | £87k |
| 9 | Oliver Glasner | Crystal Palace | £4.5m | £87k |
| 10 | Liam Rosenior | Chelsea | £4.2m | £81k |
Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) sits alone at the top, on a level that reflects sustained title pressure, elite expectations, and a long record of delivery.
Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) is reported in a wide band, which fits a modern elite contract where extensions, incentives, and reporting currency can all move the headline figure.
Unai Emery (Aston Villa) stands out because the pay matches ambition, Villa’s targets have grown, and the club appears willing to invest in leadership as well as players.
Michael Carric (Manchester United) is placed in the upper tier, which fits the United role, high scrutiny, and the cost of securing a coach the club wants to build around.
Arne Slot (Liverpool) lands close to the traditional “big job” bracket, with a salary that signals trust, even as the club’s squad planning evolves.
David Moyes (Everton) is the hardest figure to pin down, with reports ranging widely. That spread is a useful reminder that public numbers can reflect different contract dates, roles, or bonus assumptions.
Thomas Frank (Tottenham Hotspur) remains among the best paid, which tracks with the demands of Tottenham’s expectations and the premium placed on a clear style.
Keith Andrews (Brentford) earns like a manager valued for stability. In a club where margins matter, continuity can be worth as much as a star name.
Oliver Glasner (Crystal Palace) sits in a similar band, reflecting the market rate for a coach expected to raise performance without the biggest budget.
Liam Rosenior (Chelsea) rounds out the top 10, a sign that even when a club spends heavily on players, the manager’s reported base pay can still sit below the league’s highest tier.
Quick notes on the biggest salaries and what stands out
The clearest pattern is the gap at the top. Guardiola’s reported £20m a year is not just first place, it is a different category. It reflects a club paying to keep certainty in a job that punishes mistakes and demands trophies.
A second tier forms behind him. Arteta and Emery show how much clubs will pay when they believe a manager is building something repeatable, not only chasing next weekend’s result. Another standout is the mid-table presence in the list, where salaries can outrun league position at times. That is not always waste, it can be a deliberate choice to buy a structure, a style, and a calmer long-term plan.
The Moyes range is the biggest reminder to treat all figures carefully. Reported pay can be correct in spirit, yet still vary based on what a source includes.
What drives a manager’s salary, and why the numbers are not always simple
A Premier League manager’s salary starts with one basic reality: clubs are not paying for “coaching hours.” They are paying for outcomes, risk management, and leadership under intense public pressure.
The main drivers tend to be straightforward:
- Club revenue and scale: Bigger commercial income usually means a bigger pay ceiling for the head coach.
- Targets tied to Europe: Champions League qualification can be worth tens of millions, so clubs often pay more when top four is the minimum acceptable goal.
- Trophy expectations: A club that expects cups and title races often pays for a manager with a track record of winning.
- Reputation and bargaining power: Managers with proven systems, strong recent results, or high demand can push base salary up.
- Buyout clauses and contract length: A long deal can increase total compensation, and a club may pay more to reduce the risk of losing the manager.
- Market competition: Clubs compete with each other and with top European leagues, even when a coach prefers England.
It also matters what a report is counting. The headline figure is often base salary, but many contracts add bonuses for league position, trophies, and European qualification. Some deals include housing support, private travel arrangements, or image rights structures. Those perks can be real money, but they are not always included in public estimates.
Finally, currency creates noise. Some sources quote salaries in GBP, others in USD. When exchange rates move, the same contract can look larger or smaller without changing at all.
