Van Dijk hands UK nearly £10m in tax as Premier League stars dominate top taxpayer list

VIRGIL van Dijk is not only one of the Premier League’s highest-paid players but now one of the United Kingdom’s biggest individual taxpayers. Since signing his new Liverpool contract last year, the Dutch defender has paid £9.7 million in tax in just 12 months, placing him among the country’s elite contributors to public revenue, according to the Sunday Times Tax List.

The Liverpool captain ended months of speculation about his future in April 2025 when he committed to a new two-year deal at Anfield. The contract mirrors his previous terms, meaning he continues to earn around £350,000 per week, taking his annual income to £18.2 million. But while the headline salary grabs attention, the true scale of Van Dijk’s contribution lies in what he does not keep, according to the Mirror.

With the UK’s top tax rate standing at 45 percent, plus national insurance and other deductions, nearly a quarter of his income has gone directly to the state. His £9.7m tax bill places him fourth among footballers in the UK and well inside the wider list of the country’s biggest taxpayers across all industries.

The footballers’ table is led by Manchester City striker Erling Haaland, who paid an estimated £17 million in tax in the past year alone. His contribution makes him not only the highest-taxed player in the league, but one of the biggest individual contributors in the UK overall.

Second on the list is Van Dijk’s Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah, who handed over £14.5 million to the tax authorities. Casemiro, who is expected to leave Manchester United this summer, sits third after paying £10.9 million.

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Van Dijk narrowly trails former Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling, who paid £9.8 million, around £100,000 more than the Liverpool skipper. Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes and Manchester City’s Bernardo Silva are joint on £9 million, completing a list that highlights just how much Premier League stars contribute to the UK national purse.

Both Haaland and Salah were also named inside the top 100 taxpayers in the entire UK, ranking 72nd and 81st respectively. Their inclusion shows that footballers now sit alongside top executives, entrepreneurs and financiers as major contributors to the country’s tax system.

The figures have reignited debate around football wages, but they also underline the economic value of elite players to the wider society. In a period when public finances remain under pressure, the millions paid by top athletes represent a significant stream of revenue.

For Van Dijk, the financial numbers come as he approaches the latter stage of a glittering career. The 34-year-old will turn 35 this summer and remains one of Liverpool’s most influential figures on and off the pitch. Despite his age, he continues to anchor the club’s defence and lead a squad that is transitioning under new head coach Arne Slot.

With the future in mind, Liverpool are already laying the groundwork for life beyond their long-serving captain. The club have agreed a deal to sign Jeremy Jacquet, a highly rated 20-year-old French defender, from Rennes. The transfer is worth an initial £55 million, with up to £5 million in add-ons, and will be completed in the summer once the season ends in France.

Slot said the signing reflects Liverpool’s recruitment philosophy of combining youth with long-term development.

“It’s another example of the model we’re using at this club — young, very talented players sometimes at the start of their careers, sometimes already a little bit into their careers,” he said. “But always players who can improve us in the short term, and definitely in the long term.”

As Liverpool prepare for the next chapter, Van Dijk’s influence is already being felt beyond football. His £9.7 million tax contribution is a reminder that, while Premier League stars earn extraordinary sums, they are also among the biggest contributors to the UK economy, thereby funding public services, infrastructure and the state itself, one pay cheque at a time.

Editor’s Note: Van Dijk’s annual salary was initially miscalculated but has now been accurately corrected.