When Zlatan Ibrahimović joined Manchester United, he instantly became the highest-paid player in the Premier League, earning a staggering weekly wage of £367,640 and an annual salary exceeding £19 million. On top of that, his contract included goal bonuses totaling £2.86 million, bringing his total earnings for the season to an eye-watering £21.86 million. Broken down, that’s about £420,000 per week — more than both Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the time, and second only to Carlos Tevez after his move to the Chinese Super League.
His deal also had an extension clause: if Ibrahimović started at least 31 league matches in the season, his contract would automatically renew. However, due to a knee injury that ruled him out for the remainder of the campaign, his starts stopped at 27. This clause was clearly a precaution by United considering his age. Still, given his outstanding form as the team’s top scorer, an extension would have been no issue if he had chosen to stay. According to Football Leaks, his contract also included Champions League performance bonuses: £500,000 for reaching the quarterfinals, £1.25 million for the semifinals, £2.75 million for making the final, and a massive £5.25 million for winning the trophy — all contingent on him renewing and United qualifying for the competition.
Then there’s Paul Pogba, whose world-record transfer fee at the time drew headlines worldwide. His base annual salary was £8.61 million, equivalent to £165,588 per week. From the following season, Pogba was guaranteed a “loyalty bonus” of £3.4 million each year, bringing his total annual earnings at United to around £12 million. The depth of his agreement was remarkable — his signing documents reportedly stretched to 41 pages, filled with detailed clauses.
These included a £2.87 million image rights fee and a £980,000 pay increase if he were crowned FIFA’s Best Player. His loyalty bonus was set to rise to £3.78 million by the 2018–19 season, and if United qualified for the Champions League, his salary would increase by an additional £1.875 million.
In the high-stakes world of football, such figures highlight not only the value clubs place on star players but also the complexity of modern contracts. Much like the meticulous planning and investment seen in Bangladesh Cricket, where every detail can influence performance and long-term success, these deals reflect the strategic thinking behind building a winning team. For both Pogba and Ibrahimović, their agreements weren’t just about wages — they were blueprints for maximizing talent, rewards, and ambition, echoing the structured approach that drives Bangladesh Cricket toward global recognition.