Bayern Munich unsurprisingly boasts the biggest wage bill in the Bundesliga and has even managed to lure top talent away from the Premier League.
Their player payroll isn’t just the highest in Germany’s top flight; it eclipses the combined wage bills of the second and third biggest spenders in the league. The only team that could mathematically catch them in the title race this past season, Bayer Leverkusen, could pay their players three times over and still not match Bayern’s wage expenditure.
The 2024/25 Bundesliga campaign marks a major shift, with the reigning champions no longer Bayern Munich, a scenario not seen in over a decade. After years of dominance, the Bavarians were finally dethroned by Xabi Alonso’s impressive Bayer Leverkusen side.
In this feature, Anthony Nlebem breaks down the top six highest-paid players in the Bundesliga at the current 2024/25 season and how Bayern Munich continue to dominate the financial side of German football.
Harry Kane – €480,769 per week
Harry Kane is the highest-paid player at Bayern Munich and, by extension, the entire Bundesliga.
Bayern shattered their transfer record and the Bundesliga’s by spending €100 million to sign Kane from Tottenham Hotspur. They matched that ambition with a four-year deal worth €25 million per season. The salary more than doubled his previous earnings at Spurs and nearly equalled his total salary from a decade in North London.
Despite ending his debut season without silverware, Kane made a stunning impact, smashing the Bundesliga debutant goal record. The 31-year-old boasts 60 goals in his first 60 appearances and remains under contract until 2027.
Manuel Neuer – €403,846 per week
At 39, Manuel Neuer is still one of the best-paid and most respected goalkeepers in the world, earning €21 million annually.
Since joining Bayern in 2011, Neuer has pocketed nearly €200 million from the club. He’s been named IFFHS World’s Best Goalkeeper five times and made the FIFA FIFPRO World 11 four years running (2013/2016).
His weekly wage surged from under €160,000 in his early years to over €400,000 since May 2022. Despite battling two serious injuries, Neuer remains Bayern’s No. 1 and a key figure for both club and country.
Joshua Kimmich – €384,615 per week
Joshua Kimmich has become a cornerstone of Bayern’s midfield and defence, earning comparisons to club legend Philipp Lahm.
The German international now earns €20 million annually, making him the highest-paid German outfield player globally.
Kimmich joined Bayern from RB Leipzig in 2015 as a teenager and has since grown into a leader on and off the pitch. His salary has skyrocketed from €1.19 million per year to its current figure following a March 2024 contract renewal.
“At FC Bayern, I have the best environment to achieve my sporting goals,” Kimmich said. “I feel at home here, and I’m not finished yet.”
His trophy haul includes eight Bundesliga titles, three DFB-Pokal wins, and a Champions League title in 2020.
Jamal Musiala – €362,885 per week
Jamal Musiala, one of Europe’s most exciting young stars, joined Bayern from Chelsea’s academy in 2019.
He signed a contract extension in February that tripled his salary to €362,885 per week, committing him to the club until 2030.
Musiala has already won four Bundesliga titles, a Champions League, and several other major honours, all by the age of 22.
“I feel at home both in Munich and at the club with our great fans,” he said after his extension. “We’ve got a lot of things we want to achieve.”
Serge Gnabry – €362,885 per week
Serge Gnabry has come a long way from being written off at West Bromwich Albion.
Now in his seventh season at Bayern, Gnabry earns nearly €19 million annually and has scored over 90 goals for the club.
He joined Werder Bremen in 2017 with an €8 million salary, which more than doubled after a 2022 contract extension.
His honours include five Bundesliga titles, two DFB-Pokals, and the 2020 UEFA Champions League.
Kingsley Coman – €326,923 per week
Kingsley Coman, the match-winner in the 2020 Champions League final, joined Bayern in 2015 from Juventus.
Initially earning just over €1 million per year, his salary rose to €8 million when his move became permanent in 2017. A contract renewal in 2022 doubled his earnings again to €17 million per season.
“Players with Kingsley Coman’s ability are wanted by clubs all around the world,” said former Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn during the renewal announcement.
Despite previous transfer rumours, Coman has remained at Bayern and is under contract until 2027.
