Top ten highest-paid managers in football

Published at :April 3, 2019 at 9:30 AM

Modified at :April 3, 2019 at 9:30 AM

From Jurgen Klopp to Ernesto Valverde, managers have seen a huge change in their salaries over the past few years.

The role of the manager at a football club has evolved from that of a head coach to one that can prove to be incredibly strenuous and also very often, highly fleeting. This evolution has meant that the top managers around the would command as high wages as some players.

We at Khel Now take a look at the top 10 highest-paid managers who currently at their football clubs.

10. Mauricio Pochettino – Tottenham Hotspur (£8.54m)

The only criticism that could be leveled at Pochettino would be his lack of trophies in England

The Argentine coach is one of the hottest managerial property in world football, today. Pochettino joined Spurs from Southampton in 2014 and has since overseen the return of the club to the Champions League, with players like Dele Alli, Harry Kane and Christian Eriksen flourishing under his reign.

The only criticism that could be leveled at Pochettino would be his lack of trophies during his time at the North London club.

9. Carlo Ancelotti – Napoli (£10.23m)

The legendary Italian manager joined the club at Naples in 2018, following the departure of Maurizio Sarri to Chelsea. Ancelotti has won titles at every job he has been at and is now managerial royalty.

The Italian side lies second in the Serie A table and have a crucial Europa League tie against Arsenal quickly approaching. Ancelotti will be hoping that his experience and ability to inspire players can give Napoli a chance to challenge for the league in his second season.

8. Leonardo Jardim – AS Monaco (£11.09m)

Leonardo Jardim initially joined AS Monaco from Olympiacos in 2014 and led the club through their revival in French football under their new ownership. The Portuguese had a knack of getting the best out of his players and even led the side to an unprecedented league title in 2017.

However, Jardim was replaced by Thierry Henry in the early part of the 2018/2019 season but was soon reinstated as Monaco manager following Henry’s failures.

7. Jurgen Klopp – Liverpool (£11.09m)

Since his days at Dortmund, Klopp has believed and implemented exciting football

The former Borussia Dortmund manager joined Liverpool in 2016, following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers. Klopp has revitalized the Anfield outfit, leading them to the Champions League final in 2018.

Liverpool are now serious contenders for the Premier League title. Should they win it, it will be the first time they have done so in over 30 years. There is something to be said about Klopp’s role in this revitalization.

6. Marcello Lippi – China National Team (£11.09m)

The Italian manager was brought into the national team fold at China, following a highly successful spell with Guangzhou Evergrande in the Chinese League. Lippi had been at the helm of one of China’s toughest spells with several stalwarts of the side in the twilights of their respective careers.

He departed from the Asian side after their AFC Asian Cup exit.

5. Massimiliano Allegri – Juventus (£11.51m)

Allegri took over from Antonio Conte following the latter’s departure to Chelsea in the English Premier League. The Italian is one of the hottest properties in management right now with several clubs vying for his services.

Allegri has led the Old Lady to utter dominance in the Italian League and look like serious contenders for this season’s Champions League. With players like Cristiano Ronaldo coming into the club, it is essential for Juventus to ensure that their manager stays at the helm to guide them through this period.

4. Fabio Cannavaro – Guangzhou Evergrande (£12.79m)

The Italian has done well at the helm of the Chinese giants

The former Balon d'Or winner, Cannavaro was hired by the cash-rich Chinese club following the departure of Marcello Lippi to the national side.

The Italian has done well at the helm of the Chinese giants and will be hoping to be picked up by a major European player in the coming seasons.

3. Ernesto Valverde – Barcelona (£19.62m)

Ernesto Valverde was perhaps a surprising choice to take over the reins at the Catalan club when Luis Enrique’s time came to an end. However, the Spaniard’s pragmatic approach proved successful as he won La Liga by a handsome margin in his first season and looks to be on course to repeat the feat in his second.

Barcelona are also one of the favourites to lift the Champions League title, come the end of the season, which would mean that Valverde has gone some way to justifying his massive price tag.

2. Pep Guardiola – Manchester City (£20.47m)

The former Barcelona man has turned City into potential UCL title challengers

The Catalan coach has won titles at every club he has managed. He joined Manchester City in 2016 and has since taken English football by storm, winning the league by a landslide 19 points in his second season.

As it stands Guardiola is in pole position to secure an unprecedented quadruple, having already won the League Cup and reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup while also being tipped by many to win the Champions League. While Guardiola does come with a hefty wage bill, there is no doubt that he has proved his worth in Manchester.

1. Diego Simeone – Atletico Madrid (£34.97m)

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The Spaniard is famous for his highly animated demeanor on the touchline but has also imbibed his tough and pragmatic philosophy into the club. Under his leadership, Atletico Madrid have reached two Champions League finals and lifted one La Liga title, breaking the Barcelona-Real Madrid hegemony.

It comes at no surprise that Simeone has been monitored by some of the biggest clubs around Europe for a number of seasons but his enormous price tag may prove a stumbling block for potential suitors.