The Premier League is the first football league to "boast an average wage for players" of more than £50,000 ($66,700) per week, a new study revealed, according to ESPN.com. The 2017 Global Sports Salaries Survey reported the average yearly pay this season in England's top flight is £2,642,508 ($3,524,445), which works out as £50,817 ($67,777) per week. This figure is "far better than across Europe's other four top leagues," with the weekly average in La Liga being £32,309 ($43,092), Serie A totaling £25,492 ($34,000), Bundesliga offering £24,142 ($32,199) and Ligue 1 amounting to £18,162 ($24,224). However, while the Premier League sits ahead of its rivals in this department, "the world's three best-paid clubs come from La Liga and Ligue 1." Barcelona sits atop the pile with an average first-team pay of almost £6.6M ($8.8M) a year, which includes Lionel Messi's new contract, reported to be £500,000 ($666,900) per week. Paris St. Germain is second with an average wage of £6.5M ($8.7M) a year, while Real Madrid is third with an average of £6.2M ($8.3M). The Premier League has four clubs in the top 10, with ManU and Man City in fourth and fifth, respectively -- both at around £5.2M ($6.9M) -- while Chelsea and Arsenal are eighth and ninth (ESPN.com, 11/26).
