Highest-paid Championship players revealed as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney plan to gatecrash top 10 with Wrexham transfer

The reported highest earners in next season’s Championship have been revealed as Wrexham look to bolster their squad.

Wrexham, who are backed by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, will compete in the Championship – the second tier of English football – during the 2025/26 season.

And supporters will, no doubt, be hoping the Red Dragons can secure an unprecedented fourth consecutive promotion in as many years.

In recent days, Wrexham have been linked with a potential move for Fulham club captain Tom Cairney, who has made 142 Premier League appearances during his career so far.

The Telegraph claims that if talks progress, Wrexham “will break the club transfer record of around £2 million paid for Sam Smith from Reading in January”.

According to talkSPORT reporter Alex Crook, the club could pay Cairney, 34, around £50,000 per week, making him one of the Championship’s highest-paid players, based on Capology’s data.

As per the site, Southampton goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale earns £120,000 per week and will be the league’s highest earner if his wage is not altered due to the Saints’ relegation from the Premier League.

His teammates, Jan Bednarek and Joe Aribo, both pocket £70,000 per week, while several Leicester City players making up the top earners list.

Tom Cairney has been 'approached' by Wrexham (Credit:Getty)

Harry Winks takes home £90,000 per week, with Boubakary Soumaré and Ricardo Pereira on £80,000.

Conor Coady, Patson Daka and Wilfred Ndidi earn £70,000, while Foxes centre-back Jannik Vestergaard pockets £60,000.

Oliver Skipp and Wout Faes earn £50,000, the same as Cairney’s proposed wage. It must be noted that some players' wages could be altered due to relegation clauses in their contracts.

On Friday (May 16), Wrexham announced their retained list with eight players’ departures confirmed.

Among the list of players was former Premier League striker Steven Fletcher, who confirmed he was leaving the club “not by choice”.

He posted a statement on Instagram, which read: “It’s with a heavy heart, and not by choice, that I unfortunately have to announce my departure from what I can only describe as the most magical club I have ever played at! In my 22 years of stepping onto a pitch, I have never experienced anything like this club.

"I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to come here and fall back in love with the game! To have had the experiences and the opportunities that this club has given me has been just incredible. And this group of lads are the best that I have ever shared a changing room with.”