Age vs Wage — Club Efficiency Ranking
Al-Nassr tops the age-vs-wage ranking, spending approximately £180,950 per week per year of average squad age (squad of 11, average age 29.5, total weekly wage £5,338,027). The metric quantifies how much each club pays for experience — the higher the figure, the more concentrated the spend on older players.
Verified October 2026
Club Ranking
| # | Club | Squad Size | Average Age | Weekly Wage | Wage per Year of Age |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al-Nassr | 11 | 29.5 | £5,338,027 | £180,950 |
| 2 | Real Madrid | 18 | 27.2 | £4,591,925 | £168,821 |
| 3 | Arsenal | 25 | 25.8 | £3,021,000 | £117,093 |
| 4 | Liverpool | 26 | 25.6 | £2,618,846 | £102,299 |
| 5 | Manchester City | 30 | 25.7 | £2,403,655 | £93,527 |
| 6 | Chelsea | 36 | 23.6 | £2,193,000 | £92,924 |
| 7 | Manchester United | 24 | 26.8 | £2,317,044 | £86,457 |
| 8 | Bayern Munich | 9 | 29.0 | £2,243,208 | £77,352 |
| 9 | Tottenham Hotspur | 31 | 26.1 | £1,984,569 | £76,037 |
| 10 | Aston Villa | 24 | 27.1 | £1,279,076 | £47,198 |
| 11 | Paris Saint-Germain | 7 | 27.7 | £1,267,693 | £45,765 |
| 12 | Barcelona | 8 | 28.6 | £1,287,539 | £45,019 |
| 13 | Al-Hilal | 8 | 30.1 | £1,347,566 | £44,770 |
| 14 | Nottingham Forest | 30 | 26.4 | £1,159,500 | £43,920 |
| 15 | West Ham United | 16 | 28.8 | £1,251,998 | £43,472 |
| 16 | Bournemouth | 23 | 25.3 | £1,047,058 | £41,386 |
| 17 | Fulham | 26 | 27.0 | £1,093,502 | £40,500 |
| 18 | Brighton | 34 | 24.2 | £970,853 | £40,118 |
| 19 | Newcastle | 26 | 25.9 | £1,013,000 | £39,112 |
| 20 | Everton | 23 | 26.4 | £954,801 | £36,167 |
| 21 | Leeds United | 24 | 27.0 | £862,000 | £31,926 |
| 22 | Crystal Palace | 29 | 26.1 | £781,999 | £29,962 |
| 23 | Brentford | 29 | 24.4 | £729,516 | £29,898 |
| 24 | Sunderland | 29 | 25.4 | £667,000 | £26,260 |
| 25 | Juventus | 5 | 28.0 | £601,608 | £21,486 |
| 26 | Ipswich Town | 27 | 27.4 | £584,500 | £21,332 |
| 27 | Burnley | 16 | 26.9 | £459,500 | £17,082 |
| 28 | Inter Milan | 4 | 28.5 | £430,000 | £15,088 |
| 29 | Leicester City | 15 | 26.5 | £387,500 | £14,623 |
| 30 | Besiktas | 1 | 26.0 | £346,154 | £13,314 |
| 31 | Coventry City | 26 | 27.0 | £343,000 | £12,704 |
| 32 | Southampton | 10 | 26.1 | £330,000 | £12,644 |
| 33 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | 10 | 28.2 | £295,499 | £10,479 |
| 34 | Hull City | 33 | 26.5 | £238,150 | £8,987 |
| 35 | Girona | 1 | 34.0 | £288,462 | £8,484 |
| 36 | Trabzonspor | 1 | 34.0 | £280,000 | £8,235 |
| 37 | Real Betis | 1 | 30.0 | £200,385 | £6,680 |
| 38 | Sheffield United | 5 | 26.2 | £40,900 | £1,561 |
| 39 | Derby County | 1 | 21.0 | £9,630 | £459 |
| 40 | Luton Town | 3 | 28.3 | £12,300 | £435 |
How to Read This Ranking
The wage-per-year-of-age figure is simply the club's weekly wage total divided by its average squad age. Two clubs with identical wage bills will rank differently if one fields a younger squad — the older one will appear "higher" by spending per year of experience.
Use this metric alongside the youngest-squads list to identify clubs reinvesting in youth versus those concentrating spend on senior players.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "wage per year of age" mean?
It is a club's weekly wage bill divided by its squad's average age — a back-of-envelope efficiency metric. Lower values suggest a younger squad is shouldering the same spend; higher values point to senior-heavy payrolls.
Which league has the youngest average squad?
The Bundesliga consistently fields the youngest senior squads, with the EFL Championship second. The Saudi Pro League trends older, reflecting end-of-career signings on high wages.
Is a younger squad always better value?
Not necessarily. Younger players carry development risk and lower immediate output. The wage-per-age metric is a starting point, not a verdict — pair it with contract length and squad tenure to draw conclusions.
How is squad age calculated on Retained List?
We use the simple mean of senior squad ages on the verification date. Loaned-out players are excluded. Reserve and academy players are not included unless they appear in the senior squad list.
Does this account for academy graduates on lower wages?
Yes — academy graduates appear in the wage bill at their published basic salary. The youngest-squad effect is strongest at clubs that promote heavily from within because the cohort earns starter rather than veteran rates.