Rangers and Celtic’s wage bills are significantly higher than other teams in the Scottish Premiership, with some players pocketing nearly £2million annually.
The long-standing rivals are constantly fighting for the league title, with many notable figures having enjoyed lucrative careers at Ibrox and Parkhead – including the likes of Henrik Larsson and Paul Gascoigne.
During the summer transfer window, both clubs are trimming their squads by offloading some players and bringing in new recruits – but which club is currently outspending the other? Rangers manager Phillipe Clement reportedly demanded a salary of £2.5m per annum to take over during the 2023/24 season, while Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers – in his second spell at the helm – rakes in closer to £3m each year over a three-year contract.
But who is the top earner at each Glasgow club, and which team has a larger annual expenditure? Below is a detailed breakdown of the highest earners, biggest spenders and potential earnings for reserve players without a regular starting position.
Rangers and Celtic’s top earners – a story of leadership
According to Salary Sport, Celtic captain Callum McGregor tops the wage bill at Parkhead, taking home £37,000 per week. This amounts to a hefty £1.9m annually as the homegrown midfielder is contracted until 2028 – when he will be 35 years old.
Sitting in second place on the wage bill is American defender Cameron Carter-Vickers, who pockets £24,000 per week. The 26 year old centre-back earns an annual salary of £1.2m at Parkhead and is under contract until 2029, according to TransferMarkt.
Over in Govan, Rangers’ centre-half and vice-captain Connor Goldson is said to be the highest earner with a weekly salary of £37,000. The 31-year-old English defender takes home £1.9m annually, but this could soon change as he’s rumoured to be ending his six-year spell at Ibrox this summer.