Shocking Salary Showdown: Is Erling Haaland Earning More Than Bruno Fernandes at Man City?

You can really feel the tension in the air when talking about Manchester’s two football giants —Manchester City and Manchester United— especially with their contrasting journeys in recent seasons. On one side, you’ve got City, sculpting their legacy as a powerhouse in global football, a juggernaut with trophies and records to back their claim. On the flip side, United’s been navigating through choppy waters, grappling with mistakes and inconsistency that have left fans restless. And with the much-anticipated Manchester Derby just around the corner, it’s fascinating to delve into the numbers behind the scenes — specifically, the staggering salaries of the marquee players fueling these rivalries: Erling Haaland and Bruno Fernandes. Their stories, doses of brilliance, and hefty paychecks perfectly encapsulate the clubs’ fortunes — one soaring, the other striving. Curious to know who’s cashing in more on these hallowed pitches? LEARN MORE .

Manchester City and Manchester United have taken very different paths in recent years. One has established itself as one of the most dominant clubs in world football, while the other has fallen into a cycle of mistakes and inconsistency. With the Manchester Derby on the horizon, it’s worth comparing the salaries of the two teams’ stars: Erling Haaland and Bruno Fernandes.

Signed from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, Haaland made an immediate impact at Manchester City, helping secure the club’s first-ever UEFA Champions League title in his debut season in England. He also rewrote Premier League history by scoring a record 36 goals in just 35 games.

Across town, Bruno Fernandes arrived at United in January 2020 and quickly became one of the Premier League’s most influential midfielders, leading the club in key passes, assists, and goals. Now wearing the captain’s armband, the Portuguese playmaker has been thrust into the spotlight during turbulent times, with United finishing as low as 15th in the league last season after a string of inconsistent performances.

Since Haaland’s arrival, City and United have clashed nine times — six in the Premier League, twice in FA Cup finals, and once in the Community Shield. The Citizens hold the upper hand with five wins, one draw, and three defeats, and with another derby looming, the battle lines are once again drawn.

Erling Haaland of Manchester City passes the ball whilst under pressure from Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United during the Emirates FA Cup Final.

Haaland and Bruno’s salaries

Haaland’s prolific scoring in one of the world’s toughest leagues prompted Manchester City to reward him with a massive new contract. In January 2025, he signed a deal worth a reported gross weekly base of £525,000 (around $710,000), plus bonuses of £350,000 (around $474,000), according to Capology.

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Now regarded as one of the best strikers in the world, Haaland is locked into a record-breaking deal that runs through 2034, adding seven years to his original contract and securing his long-term future at the Etihad.

Fernandes, meanwhile, is well-compensated but still earns far less than his City rival. Capology reports that the United captain takes home a gross weekly base salary of £300,000 (around $406,000), with bonuses worth £75,000 (around $101,000).

Even then, Fernandes is not United’s highest earner. That distinction belongs to Casemiro, whose influence has waned since joining from Real Madrid. The Brazilian midfielder earns a gross weekly base of £350,000 (around $474,000), plus £100,000 (around $135,000) in bonuses, placing him ahead of Fernandes despite a reduced role in the squad.