A football tax list features two Liverpool footballers, including Mohamed Salah
Mark Whiley Sports Reporter
17:00, 31 Jan 2026
Mohamed Salah is one of the UK’s biggest taxpayers(Image: Getty Images)
Nearly half of Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool wages went to the taxman over the last 12 months. The Anfield icon’s current deal sees him earn £400,000 per week.
When add-ons like image rights and bonuses are factored in, his annual salary is estimated at £31million, not that Egyptian superstar will see a significant chunk of it. According to the Sunday Times Tax List, Salah has paid £14.5m in tax over the last year, the second highest of Premier League footballers, behind Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and 81st overall in the entire country.
The news comes amid a difficult season for Salah, who was removed from selection for the Champions League win over Inter Milan in December after he said he no longer had a relationship with Arne Slot and that he has been “thrown under the bus” following the draw away to Leeds.
Salah soon returned to the squad after talks with the head coach and after apologising to his teammates. However, speculation linking him with a move to the Saudi Pro League refuses to go away.
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The financial motives for a move are obvious for two reasons: The astronomical salaries being paid to stars like former Reds teammates and Sadio Mane and the fact no income tax is levied on footballers’ salaries in Saudi Arabia, compared to 45 per cent in the UK on salaries beyond £125,000.
Meanwhile, Haaland, who earns a basic salary of £500,000 per week, tops the football list, contributing £17m to public finances. The Norwegian reportedly earns an additional £10m in image rights and bonus payments.
Erling Haaland pays the most tax of any UK-based footballer(Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
In third place is Manchester United’s Casemiro on £10.9m. United announced last week that Casemiro would leave the club at the end of the season, when his contract expires.
Former Liverpool star Raheem Sterling, who on Wednesday ended his contract with Chelsea by mutual consent, paid £9.8m in tax, £100,000 more than Reds defender Virgil van Dijk.
Virgil van Dijk sees a big chunk of his salary go to the taxman(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside via Getty Images)
Portuguese duo Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, of Manchester United and Manchester City respectively, were level on £9m.
The tax list was topped by bookmakers Betfred, who contributed £400m to the public finances. The likes of Harry Styles, Ed Sheeran and Anthony Joshua join Salah in the top 100.
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