Premier League prospects have dominated the most recent under-30 richest sportspeople list.
A staggering 13 out of 20 athletes in Britain are tied down with a ‘top six’ Premier League club, with players from Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea all making the cut.
It's the epitome of the exponential player earnings at the highest level of English football compared to other sports.
It is a simple concept – as the more prestigious, richer clubs demand the stars in world football, the selling clubs accumulate higher transfer fees.
Manchester United have had a catastrophically underwhelming 2021/22 campaign after failing to pick up any silverware nor qualify for the UEFA Champions League. At the time of writing, they sit sixth in the league and have the joint most earners in the division alongside title-chasing Liverpool.
According to the Sunday Times Rich List, World Cup-winner Paul Pogba is at the top of the list after securing a £89 million move from Juventus in 2016. He is now worth approximately £77 million and has been picking up a weekly wage of £290,000 since returning to Old Trafford.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 26: Paul Pogba of Manchester United gestures during the Premier League match between Manchester United and Watford at Old Trafford on February 26, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)
Pogba is likely to have played his final game in a United shirt with his contract set to expire in June. His representatives held positive talks with his former club Juventus over a free transfer but the French international is yet to confirm his next destination.
Just over five miles away via Stretford Road are the reigning Premier League champions, Manchester City. Their talisman Kevin De Bruyne will take over as the highest earner in the league after signing a new £385,000 a week deal last year.
He has been worth every penny this season providing several standout moments including four goals in a 5–1 away win over Wolverhampton Wanderers last week. It was the Belgian’s first hat-trick for the Cityzens and the third quickest in Premier League history within 24 minutes in the first half.
MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MARCH 06: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City celebrates after scoring their sides first goal during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on March 06, 2022 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Raheem Sterling is ranked sixth in the list, valued at £50 million. A consistent contributor for club and country, Sterling has been stellar in Pep Guardiola’s side.
He bagged his 100th Premier League goal this season in a 1-0 win over Wolves and was awarded Premier League Player of the Month in December.
Despite Pogba and De Bruyne’s ludicrous earnings, the midfielders have been pipped by just three others involved in the sports industry. The top three includes Jack Sullivan, Ben Francis and Lewis Morgan.
Sullivan is the son of West Ham chairman David Sullivan and is currently a director at the club. He tops the charts as per the Sunday Times Rich List, included his family’s overall wealth as well.
Birmingham-born Ben Francis comes in at second: the 29-year-old from Bromsgrove founded Gymshark and recently sold a share in his business valued at £1.45 billion.
Co-founder of Gymshark Lewis Morgan is third in the list and is currently the chairman of the AYBL group.
The 20 richest u30s in Britain
1. Jack Sullivan – Property, football and media – £1.118bn
2. Ben Francis – Gymshark owner – £900m
3. Lewis Morgan – Sportswear and property – £147m
4. Paul Pogba – Manchester United – £77m
5. Kevin De Bruyne – Manchester City – £58m
6. Raheem Sterling – Manchester City – £50m
7. Harry Kane – Tottenham – £42m
8. Romelu Lukaku – Chelsea – £42m
9. Mohamed Salah – Liverpool – £41m
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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - APRIL 27: Mohamed Salah of Liverpool reacts during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final Leg One match between Liverpool and Villarreal at Anfield on April 27, 2022 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)
10. Reiss & Kristian Edgerton – Eyewear – £40m
11. Virgil van Dijk – Liverpool – £33m
12. William Vaughan – Paddleboards – £30m
13. Luke Shaw – Manchester United – £28m
14. Alexandre Lacazette – Arsenal – £27m
15. Roberto Firmino – Liverpool – £26m
16. Reece Wabara – Football and fashion – £26m
17. Marcus Rashford – Manchester United – £22m
18. Joel and Kieran Holmes-Darby – Esports – £20m
19. Raphael Varane – Manchester United – £20m
20. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain – Liverpool – £20m