The highest paid Southampton FC player in each of the last 10 seasons (List)

Highlights

Southampton have made a promising start to the Championship season under Russell Martin’s leadership after their relegation.
Joe Aribo is now the highest-paid player at the club, earning £70,000 per week, following James Ward-Prowse’s departure.
Ward-Prowse was the highest earner at Southampton for multiple seasons and played a key role in the club’s survival in the Premier League.
Southampton have made a promising start to the new Championship season.

Russell Martin will be aiming to lead the Saints back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

The former Swansea City manager has been entrusted with this young squad following the club’s relegation to the second division.

Southampton enjoyed over a decade in the top flight before succumbing to 20th place last season.

A difficult year saw the team finish bottom of the table under Ruben Selles, who was the third manager to oversee the squad during the term.

Martin will now be looking to guide the club straight back to the first division at the first attempt but they will face stiff competition in the battle for the three promotion places.

Using estimated figures from Capology, we’re going to take a look at who the best paid player at the club has been throughout the last 10 years…

Joe Aribo – 2023/24 – £70,000-a-week
Joe Aribo

A lot of upheaval at Southampton has seen a new face emerge as the best paid player at the club.

Big names have departed, including club captain James Ward-Prowse, which has opened up a new place at the top of the charts.

Aribo is one of the highest paid players in the Championship on a salary worth £70,000 per week.

He is ahead of the likes of Stuart Armstrong and Moussa Djenepo, who both earn £65,000-a-week.

James Ward-Prowse – 2022/23 – £100,000-a-week

James Ward-Prowse Southampton
Ward-Prowse signed a new contract with his boyhood club in 2021 that was set to keep him at St. Mary’s until 2026.

This made him the club’s most well paid player prior to his departure from the Sains during the previous transfer window.

The midfielder was a key part of the team, earning club captaincy during his final couple of seasons at Southampton.

He was a crucial part of the club remaining in the top flight as long as it did, especially with his remarkable ability at set pieces.

James Ward-Prowse – 2021/22 – £100,00-a-week

James Ward-Prowse Southampton
Ward-Prowse was the top earner at the club for his final two seasons at Southampton, with that bumper contract putting him top of the list during their time in the Premier League.

Southampton had a big wage bill during this period as they looked to compete with some of the biggest, wealthiest clubs in the world.

The likes of Fraser Forster and Theo Walcott were also on big-money deals, putting them second and third in the pecking order during this period.

Fraser Forster – 2020/21 – £90,000-a-week
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Forster was the highest earner at the club prior to Ward-Prowse’s new contract in 2021.

The goalkeeper joined the club from Celtic in 2014 and instantly became a key part of the side.

The Englishman was the first-choice between the sticks for his first few seasons at the club, before going out on loan back to Celtic in 2019.

Forster left Southampton on a permanent basis in the summer of 2022, joining Tottenham as a free agent.

Danny Ings – 2019/20 – £75,000-a-week

Ings was a big money signing from Liverpool following a difficult couple of years with the Reds.

Injuries hampered his progress after he made the promising move from Burnley, ultimately only featuring 14 times for the Merseyside club.

The forward initially joined the Saints on loan from Liverpool before making the deal permanent in the summer of 2019.

Ings spent two seasons at St. Mary’s, where he scored 34 times from 67 appearances before making the switch to Aston Villa in 2021.

The Englishman currently plays for Aston Villa.

Fraser Forster – 2018/19 – £90,000-a-week

Prior to Ings’ arrival at St. Mary’s, Forster was the top earner at Southampton.

He lost that place at the top of the pecking order following his move to Celtic on loan.

However, he was still a key figure in the team at this point in his career and played a crucial part in the side remaining in the Premier League amid an intense relegation battle.

But he ultimately lost his place in the squad following the appointment of Ralph Hassenhuttl, who preferred someone better suited to his new tactical approach for the team.

Fraser Forster – 2017/18 – £90,000-a-week

This year proved the beginning of the end for Forster at Southampton, with the shot stopper only making 20 appearances for the club in the league.

Southampton barely survived relegation, finishing 17th after Mark Hughes arrived as manager in the closing weeks of the season.

Forster was out of the team before the arrival of Hughes, and he would only go on to feature three more times in the division before returning to Celtic on a temporary basis in 2019.

Manolo Gabbiadini – 2016/17 – £80,000-a-week

Gabbiadini had a bright start to life at Southampton, with his goals helping lift the team into European contention.

The Italian scored four goals from 11 appearances in his first half-season with the club, signing in the 2017 January window from Napoli.

Gabbiadini also scored twice in Wembley as the Saints suffered a 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in the League Cup final.

The now 31-year-old’s time at Southampton came to an end after just two years, returning to Serie A with Sampdoria in the 2019 winter transfer market.

Charlie Austin – 2015/16 – £55,000-a-week

Austin was an excellent signing for Southampton, arriving from QPR in the winter of 2016.

The forward didn’t quite hit the heights of his QPR form during his time at Southampton, but his goals were crucial to keeping the team in the division.

Austin earned £55,000-a-week during his first season at the Saints, making him the highest paid player in the team at the time.

Toby Alderweireld – 2014/15 – £75,731-a-week
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Alderweireld joined Southampton on loan from Spanish giants Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2014, proving an excellent addition to the side.

He became the club’s highest earner during his one year at St. Mary’s, before joining Tottenham on a permanent basis in 2015.

The Belgian was a crucial part of Ronald Koeman’s side as the Saints earned an impressive seventh place finish in the Premier League, qualifying for Europe in the process.

Alderweireld would go on to become a crucial part of the Spurs team under former Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino, including playing in the 2019 Champions League final.

Alderweireld is currently with Dutch side Royal Antwerp.