Joshua Zirkzee will not receive a salary increase after Manchester United secured Champions League qualification because of the terms of his contract, according to Sport Bible.
Manchester United finished third in the Premier League last season, guaranteeing their place in European football’s leading club competition. Several players were entitled to a 25% wage rise under clauses included in their contracts once the club qualified for the Champions League.
However, that provision does not apply to every member of the squad. Zirkzee’s weekly salary will remain at approximately €122,000.
The reason is linked to changes Manchester United made to the structure of player contracts. Zirkzee joined the club in 2024, after the new conditions had been introduced.
Under those rules, a player must have featured for at least 60% of the team’s playing time during the season to qualify for the Champions League-related bonus. Zirkzee therefore does not meet the required threshold and will not benefit from the increase despite Manchester United’s qualification.
Manuel Ugarte is also set to miss out on the bonus. The midfielder is recovering from an injury, with part of his salary being covered by FIFA under its club protection programme because the damage was sustained while he was playing at the World Cup.
Manchester United’s highest earners remain Marcus Rashford and captain Bruno Fernandes, who each receive about €348,000 per week.
Benjamin Sesko is next on the list with weekly earnings of approximately €232,000, followed by Matthijs de Ligt on €226,000 and Matheus Cunha on €209,000.
The different contract arrangements mean that Champions League qualification does not result in an automatic wage increase for the entire Manchester United squad. The 25% rise is dependent on individual clauses, including the playing-time requirement introduced for players who signed under the club’s revised contract structure.
Zirkzee’s arrival in 2024 placed him among those affected by the updated terms. Although Manchester United’s third-place finish secured an opportunity to compete in the Champions League, the qualification bonus available to some of his team-mates will not be added to his existing salary.
The Dutch forward will consequently continue to earn around €122,000 a week, while the club’s top-paid players remain Rashford and Fernandes.
