Irish Footballers
Retained List tracks 25 Irish footballers with a combined weekly wage of approximately £657,983. Michael Obafemi currently leads as the highest-paid Irish player at £130,000/week.
Verified October 2026
| # | Player | Club | Position | Age | Contract | Weekly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael Obafemi | Burnley | Forward | 26 | June 2027 | £130,000 |
| 2 | Nathan Collins | Brentford | Defender | 25 | July 2028 | £96,296 |
| 3 | Jake O’Brien | Everton | Defender | 25 | June 2028 | £50,000 |
| 4 | Jeff Hendrick | Free Agent | Midfielder | 34 | June 2024 | £50,000 |
| 5 | Darren Randolph | Free Agent | Goalkeeper | 39 | June 2024 | £42,000 |
| 6 | Harry Arter | Free Agent | Midfielder | 36 | June 2024 | £40,000 |
| 7 | Caoimhin Kelleher | Brentford | Goalkeeper | 27 | June 2030 | £32,000 |
| 8 | Gavin Bazunu | Southampton | Goalkeeper | 24 | June 2027 | £30,000 |
| 9 | Alan Browne | Sunderland | Midfielder | 31 | June 2027 | £25,000 |
| 10 | Ryan Manning | Southampton | Defender | 30 | June 2027 | £25,000 |
| 11 | Kasey McAteer | Ipswich Town | Midfielder | 24 | June 2029 | £20,000 |
| 12 | Mark Travers | Free Agent | Goalkeeper | 27 | June 2029 | £20,000 |
| 13 | Dara O’Shea | Ipswich Town | Defender | 27 | June 2027 | £17,500 |
| 14 | Jack Taylor | Ipswich Town | Midfielder | 28 | June 2028 | £17,500 |
| 15 | Josh Cullen | Burnley | Midfielder | 30 | June 2027 | £17,500 |
| 16 | John Egan | Hull City | Defender | 33 | June 2027 | £15,300 |
| 17 | Conor Coventry | Free Agent | Midfielder | 26 | June 2024 | £5,400 |
| 18 | Joseph Hodge | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Midfielder | 24 | June 2027 | £5,000 |
| 19 | Chiedozie Ogbene | Ipswich Town | Forward | 29 | June 2027 | £4,500 |
| 20 | Tayo Adaramola | Free Agent | Defender | 22 | July 2025 | £3,418 |
| 21 | Evan Ferguson | Brighton | Forward | 21 | July 2028 | £3,000 |
| 22 | Kofi Balmer | Free Agent | Midfielder | 26 | June 2025 | £3,000 |
| 23 | Andrew Moran | Brighton | Midfielder | 22 | July 2027 | £2,500 |
| 24 | Louie Watson | Free Agent | Midfielder | 25 | June 2024 | £2,300 |
| 25 | Gavin Kilkenny | Free Agent | Midfielder | 26 | June 2025 | £769 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the highest-paid Irish footballer?
Michael Obafemi is the highest-paid Irish footballer on Retained List, earning £130,000 per week at Burnley.
How many Irish players are tracked on Retained List?
We track 25 senior Irish footballers across the leagues we cover. The count updates whenever a player's nationality or club changes.
What is the combined wage bill of Irish players?
The 25 Irish players in our database earn a combined £657,983 per week in published wages. Annualised, that is roughly £34,215,116.
Which clubs employ the most Irish players?
Club concentration varies by league and recruitment cycle. Filter the contract tracker by club, or scan the table above for the most common employers of Irish players.
Does this list include dual-nationality Irish players?
Players are tagged by the nationality recorded on their primary registration. Dual-national players appear under the nationality used by their senior international career, where applicable.