How much do Diego Simeone's players earn annually and who receives the most into their account?
Atletico Madrid have evolved from being just another club in the Spanish capital to one of the most prominent teams in both Spain and Europe, largely due to the transformative leadership of their head coach, Diego Simeone.
Atletico Madrid have secured multiple league titles, Europa League trophies, and reached two Champions League finals, all of which have greatly enhanced their global brand and turned them into a highly attractive destination for top football talent.
In recent years, the club has made bold moves in the transfer market, such as signing Conor Gallagher and Julian Alvarez, showcasing their financial strength. Also, remember the time they splashed €126 million to sign Joao Felix from Benfica?
While Atletico Madrid have consistently showcased their financial power through strategic signings, they have also been willing to offer substantial salaries to attract and retain top-tier players.
So, who is the highest earner at the Metropolitano this season? And who is on the opposite end of the spectrum?
GOAL delved into the numbers from Capology and found out!
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Getty Images SportGoalkeepers
Atleti have only two senior goalkeepers on their payroll, club captain Jan Oblak and 30-year-old Argentine Juan Musso. Oblak is among the highest-paid goalkeepers in the top five European leagues, and the highest-paid player at Atletico.
Jan Oblak€20,830,000Juan Musso€3,330,000AdvertisementGetty Images SportDefenders
The highest-paid defender at Los Colchoneros is Axel Witsel, earning €8,330,000 annually. Given that he is a squad player at best, it begs the question whether he deserves to be paid such a high salary. The same can be said about veteran Cesar Azpilicueta, who earns €8 million.
New signing Robin Le Normand is the joint-third highest earning defender along long-time servant Jose Maria Gimenez. On-loan player Clement Lenglet ranks fifth with a salary of €4 million, but he has proved to be an effective signing for Simeone.
Javi Galan, Nahuel Molina, and Reinildo Mandava are the lowest-paid defenders.
Axel Witsel€8,330,000Cesar Azpilicueta€8,000,000Robin Le Normand€6,250,000Jose Maria Gimenez€6,250,000Clement Lenglet€4,000,000Javi Galan€3,250,000Nahuel Molina€1,200,000Reinildo Mandava€800,000AFPMidfielders
England international Conor Gallagher is the highest-earning midfielder in the squad, ahead of the likes of Marcos Llorente and Koke.
Rodrigo De Paul is on the same wages as Koke as he earns €6,670,000, with Samuel Lino and Pablo Barrios earning exceedingly low in comparison to the rest of the midfielders.
Conor Gallagher€9,000,000Marcos Llorente€8,330,000Koke€6,670,000Rodrigo De Paul€6,670,000Thomas Lemar€3,250,000Samuel Lino€1,250,000Pablo Barrios€1,150,000AFPAttackers
As straightforward as it comes – Antoine Griezmann is the highest-paid forward in the squad but, surprisingly, he isn't the highest-paid player at Atletico.
Alexander Sorloth, who earns over €6 million per year, wouldn't be dissatisfied with his salary. However, his partner in attack, Julian Alvarez, has an even bigger paycheck with his €7 million odd salary.
Angel Correa's €3.5 million salary befits his status as someone who Simeone's likes to rely off the bench. Rodrigo Riquelme, Giuliano Simeone, and Borja Carces all earn less than a million euros per year and are among the lowest-paid members of the Atleti squad.
Antoine Griezmann€12,500,000Julian Alvarez€7,080,000Alexander Sorloth€6,240,000Angel Correa€3,500,000Rodrigo Riquelme€620,000Giuliano Simeone€500,000Borja Carces€420,000