The highest paid English Premier League player in each of the last 20 seasons

The earning power of English Premier League footballers has been so publicly vaunted in the media that it is uncommon to hear of players earning over £100,000 per week without barely a flutter at the calibre of player attracting those monies. The figure that has earned a certain player the title of 'highest-paid Premier League star' has increased nearly every single year but the contrast from the inaugural campaign to present day almost defies description.

Our colleagues at Mirror Football took a closer look at the highest earning player from each Premier League season, revealing how much they were pocketing and whether they ended up proving their worth on the pitch in the process.

1992/93 & 1993/94 - John Barnes, £10,000-per-week

The Liverpool legend made history when he became the first British player to receive £10,000-per-week when he joined the Reds way back in 1987. Though he arrived at Anfield five years before the eventual inception of the Premier League, he remained one of the highest paid players during a hugely transitional period for English football.

Barnes' salary sent shockwaves through the game in its own right as the Liverpool hero was taking home £520,000-per-year…not a bad sum in 2022!

1994/95 - Eric Cantona, £18,000-per-week

John Barnes and Chris Sutton enjoyed the status of being the league's highest earners for the bulk of the campaign on £10,000-per-week. However, they swiftly had their thunder stolen when Cantona was rewarded for his efforts for Manchester United with a bumper new deal later on that term.

The Frenchman, who had been famously signed cheaply from Leeds United, was granted £18,000-per-week by the Red Devils, despite causing huge controversy when he kung-fu kicked a Crystal Palace