The Highest Paid Players in Serie A - Ranked

Serie A may not possess the financial pulling power of the all-consuming Premier League, but there is still some serious cash flying around Italia.

Italy, once known as an old folks' home for over-the-hill and cash-hungry superstars, has rebranded itself in recent years, becoming an attractive prospect for players looking to make waves in Europe and around the globe.

The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Romelu Lukaku and Aaron Ramsey have all exciting made that move to Serie A, boosting the league's profile and attracting more attention from curious viewers. Those marquee signings have come at a price, however.

The wage bill of each Italian side has recently fallen into the public eye, and the results make for some shocking reading. Unsurprisingly, Juventus boast the biggest spending power, not-so-closely followed by Inter and then AS Roma.

But who are the best-paid players in the division? Well, 90min has got that one covered. Check out our list of the top 21 earners in Serie A below!

22. Ivan Perisic (€5m)

Inter love Ivan Perisic like a stone in their shoe, and no matter how hard they shake their foot, they just can't get rid of the Croatian star. Bayern didn't fancy making last year's loan deal permanent, so Perisic has wound up back at San Siro. I'm sure he's not complaining too much.

21. Achraf Hakimi (€5m)

Achraf Hakimi was brought in to scratch Antonio Conte's wing-back itch, and for €5m a year, the pressure is on the Moroccan star to provide dynamism and gusto from the wide areas. Worth every penny, for our money.

20. Alvaro Morata (€5m)

This man's agent is up there with that of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. Alvaro Morata continues to get great move after great move despite his poor return in front of goal. He did enjoy his best spell in Turin though - let's see if he can do it again...

19. Federico Chiesa (€5m)

A new arrival on the list. Federico Chiesa has made the unforgivable switch from Florence to Turin, and he'll need very thick skin to ignore the barrage of insults that'll come his way from Fiorentina fans. Don't worry though, the €5m a year will probably ease the pain of betraying your boyhood club.

18. Arthur Melo (€5m)

Another fresh face at the Allianz Stadium. Arthur Melo jumped ship from Barcelona when he had the chance (what a good decision that was, by the way), and is hoping to bring back some drive to the Juve midfield. Sending Miralem Pjanic off in the opposite direction, too? An absolute steal.

17. Juan Cuadrado (€5m)

The handyman of this Juve team. Juan Cuadrado may not be the most exciting, creative or 'bums-off-seats' kind of player, but he can do a number of jobs - and he can do them efficiently with minimal fuss. So, he's earning his wage week-in, week-out, that's for sure.

16. Alex Sandro (€6m)

Alex Sandro was once viewed as one of the best full-backs in the world, but his value has certainly dropped in recent years. Luckily for him, his wage hasn't slipped with his reputation, and he's easily the highest paid left-back in the division.

15. Gianluigi Donnarumma (€6m)

Milan's second highest earner (spoiler!), Gianluigi Donnarumma is the first goalkeeper to make this list. He famously agreed to sign this bumper deal, on the condition that his brother Antonio could join the club as a backup shot-stopper. Looking after the family since day one.

14. Wojciech Szczesny (€6.5m)

The highest paid number one in Serie A, and rightly so. Wojciech Szczesny has rebuilt his career brilliantly since struggling at Arsenal, getting a confidence booster at Roma, before slipping into Gianluigi Buffon's giant gloves at Juventus. An excellent goalkeeper.

13. Kalidou Koulibaly (€6m)

Kalidou Koulibaly has been tipped for a mega move to one of Europe's super powers over the past few transfer windows, but a deal has never quite materialised. Still, he's not missing out on the financial aspect of the game, as he sits as Napoli's highest earner by some distance.

12. Leonardo Bonucci (€6.5m)

Leonardo Bonucci is a bit of a Juventus legend (apart from that one season he became a Milan player, then decided he didn't like not being on the winning side every week). Back in Turin though, he has continued to be a serial winner next to Giorgio Chiellini. How is he earning more than his superior partner?!

11. Arturo Vidal (€6.5m)

If Arturo Vidal looked you in the eye and told you he wanted €6.5m a year to probably sit on the bench and occasionally get sent off, it'd take a very brave man to tell him where to go. I'd probably hand over my lunch money, too.

10. Alexis Sanchez (€7m)

If combined with the percentage of his wage which Manchester United are still paying, Alexis Sanchez would be a comfortable second place in this list. However, Inter are contributing only (only) €7m a year for the Chilean. Smart business, if they get him firing.

9. Adrien Rabiot (€7m)

Juventus signed Adrien Rabiot on a free transfer from Paris Saint-Germain in 2019, and so far, he's been a bit of a waste of money (a waste of wages, anyway). Another below-par season and I Bianconeri will be looking to get him off their bill for good.

8. Aaron Ramsey (€7m)

Another freebie from the summer of 2019, Aaron Ramsey was always going to be in for a good pay day. Sure enough, he's in the top ten earners in the whole country. Is he worth that to Juventus? The jury is still out, for now.

7. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (€7m)

Zlatan doesn't earn money, money earns Zlatan (or some absolute nonsense). Anyway, despite approaching his late 50's, Ibrahimovic is still mixing it with the very best at Milan. Good on ya, big man.

6. Paulo Dybala (€7.3m)

Juventus' third best-paid player, Paulo Dybala comes in as Serie A's sixth highest earner. Arguably the most talented star in Turin, the Argentine may be hoping to bag a new deal over the next 12 months...but his chances of becoming number one in this list are minuscule, to say the least.

5. Edin Dzeko (€7.5m)

Roma captain Edin Dzeko is the highest paid player at his club, and he has probably earned that right over the seasons. Approaching the twilight of his career, the Bosnian is showing no signs of slowing down in front of goal, as the cash keeps rolling in.

4. Christian Eriksen (€7.5m)

Where to start with this one? Christian Eriksen knew his time was running out to get the big money move he craved, and although he's got the cash, the fortunes haven't come with it. Struggling to make a mark in this Inter side, questions are being asked over his future at San Siro.

3. Romelu Lukaku (€7.5m)

If anyone thought that Inter had taken on a risky expense in signing Romelu Lukaku, those worries have quickly been put to bed. The big Belgian striker is back to his prolific best, and if he fires I Nerazzurri to Scudetto glory, this financial outlay will be worth its weight in history.

2. Matthijs de Ligt (€8m)

Matthijs de Ligt rolls in as the second best paid player in Serie A. This one makes sense. Signed at a young age, with bags of potential, Juve have invested a lot of money in the ex-Ajax man. The starlet is fast becoming one of the best centre-backs in the league, and this salary may appear to be a bargain in years to come.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo (€31m)

Doesn't it just make you feel a little bit queasy? 31 million smackaroos. Cristiano Ronaldo earns almost four and a half times more money than any other player on his team, or in the entirety of Serie A. Sure, he's good for a goal most games, but is he worth that much money to a team that could probably win the league without him anyway? You could get 15 Andrea Belotti's for that money.