Top 10 Highest-Paid Club Soccer Managers as Mikel Arteta Extends Arsenal Contract
The financial gap in global soccer keeps widening, especially at the managerial level. The most sought-after coaches command ever-higher paychecks as clubs aim to either retain their star managers or attract top talent from rivals.
Following Mikel Arteta's recent contract extension with Arsenal, which reportedly includes a significant salary boost, we take a look at the ten highest-paid club coaches around the world.
Who Tops the Salary List?
The current highest-paid manager is Simone Inzaghi of Al Hilal, earning €26 million annually (£22.3m / $29.8m). The Saudi club secured him with a lucrative deal after he left Inter Milan, where he was already well-compensated.
Pep Guardiola ranked second during his final season at Manchester City but departed after 2025/26. Now, Diego Simeone of Atletico Madrid holds second place. Simeone, a long-standing figure at the club with eight trophies and two Champions League finals appearances, accepted a pay cut in 2023 to support the club’s finances.
In third place sits PSG head coach Luis Enrique, who recently signed a new contract with a major raise.
Highest-Paid Club Soccer Coaches
- Rank: 1
- Manager: Simone Inzaghi
- Club: Al Hilal
- Salary (gross): £22.3m / $29.8m
- Contract until: July 2027
- Rank: 2
- Manager: Diego Simeone
- Club: Atletico Madrid
- Salary (gross): £20.1m / $26.8m
- Contract until: July 2027
- Rank: 3
- Manager: Luis Enrique
- Club: PSG
- Salary (gross): £17.2m / $22.9m
- Contract until: July 2030
- Rank: 4
- Manager: Mikel Arteta
- Club: Arsenal
- Salary (gross): £15m / $20m*
- Contract until: July 2030*
- Rank: 5
- Manager: Oliver Glasner
- Club: Nottingham Forest
- Salary (gross): £13m / $17.4m
- Contract until: July 2029
- Rank: 6
- Manager: Jose Mourinho
- Club: Real Madrid
- Salary (gross): £12m / $16m
- Contract until: July 2029
- Rank: 7
- Manager: Ange Postecoglou
- Club: Al Nassr
- Salary (gross): £11.7m / $15.6m
- Contract until: July 2028
- Rank: 8
- Manager: Xabi Alonso
- Club: Chelsea
- Salary (gross): £11.5m / $15.4m
- Contract until: July 2030
- Rank: 9
- Manager: Luciano Spalletti
- Club: Juventus
- Salary (gross): £11.2m / $14.9m
- Contract until: July 2028
- Rank: 10
- Manager: Enzo Maresca
- Club: Manchester City
- Salary (gross): £10m / $13.3m
- Contract until: July 2029
*Mikel Arteta's actual salary and contract length might be higher than reported; details remain unclear.
Mikel Arteta's New Deal at Arsenal
On September 22, 2026, Mikel Arteta finalized his new contract at Arsenal. Though official terms were not disclosed, reports suggest the deal will extend his tenure to at least 10 years with the club, meaning through the 2029/30 season.
While the exact compensation has yet to be confirmed, it is believed Arteta received a sharp raise from his previous £10 million annual salary plus an extra £5 million in bonuses. This would put him among the world's top-paid managers, potentially ranking third or fourth globally.
