Some may argue that the amount of money spent on wages at QPR is an age-old story.
The Hoops have faced criticism over the last decade for how much they have paid their players in the aim of securing Premier League success.
In 2014, they were discovered to have spent more than £75 million on wages, which accounted for 195% of their revenue, a Financial Fair Play regulation violation that they settled in 2018.
Since then, the Hoops have made a slow but steady comeback, settling into midtable in the Championship until this past summer, when a very ambitious transfer window set them on their road to becoming outsiders for a play-off spot.
Julien Stephan has an outstanding roster at his disposal, but how much does each player make? Football League World consulted Capology to determine their approximate weekly income.
27Rayan Kolli – £500 p/w
Starting this list is young Rayan Kolli, who Capology believes earns £500 each week.
Given that the Algerian forward is only 21, the lowest salary in the group could be justified. However, Kolli has emerged as a reliable backup in Rumarn Burrell’s absence in 2026, suggesting that he is now worth a little more.
26Joe Walsh – £1,200 p/w
Joe Walsh was signed by QPR in 2021 as a future goalkeeper, and until this season, he was either loaned out to lower league and even non-league clubs, or served as a back-up.
This season, the 23-year-old hasn’t been particularly inspiring when relied on as the number one, but if Julien Stephan wants to stay the first-choice option, he may need to be paid slightly more than the squad’s second-lowest salary.
25Kealey Adamson – £1,200 p/w
Kealey Adamson, an Australian under-23 international, was one of the few acquisitions this summer that went unnoticed, and considering his role in the squad, it’s simple to see why.
This season, the right-back has been a squad member at best, and out of the squad at worst, making a handful of substitute appearances, including a 7-1 hammering by Coventry City in August.
An ordinary estimated wage for someone at the bottom of the hierarchy on Loftus Road.
24Daniel Bennie – £1,500 p/w
Daniel Bennie, who was born in 2006, is an exciting potential for QPR, as evidenced by the fact that he earns more than three of his teammates while being only a teenager.
Many believed that the wideman could have been loaned out to a third or fourth-tier club in January, but Julien Stephan kept Bennie, and he has made five consecutive appearances since his debut of the season in mid-January.
It appears that the Australian Under-20 international will soon be given a larger role and a higher salary on this side.
23Kieran Morgan – £1,500 p/w
Former Spurs teenager Kieran Morgan may not have featured as much under Julien Stephan as he did in his debut season last season, but there’s no doubt that the 19-year-old is a player for the future, and he fits in nicely with this dynamic side.
Right now, his expected salary reflects his age and function in the squad, but like Bennie, expect it to rise in the coming years.
22Ziyad Larkeche – £3,000 p/w
Former PSG youth player Ziyad Larkeche makes double what Kieran Morgan does, although his role in the squad is far less crucial.
The 23-year-old has not appeared for the Hoops since April 2024. Last season, he was loaned out to Scottish club Dundee FC, and he has yet to make his debut under Julien Stephan due to an ACL injury sustained in August.
Larkeche signed this contract last June, and it will be interesting to see if he is used regularly when he returns.
21Jonathan Varane – £4,000 p/w
Jonathan Varane signed a new contract with QPR in May, which runs until the end of the 2029/30 season. If Capology’s reported figures are correct, and he is paid under £4,000 per week, the Hoops have scored a bargain.
There aren’t many more vital players in the QPR squad right now than the 24-year-old, who was magnificent in his debut season last year and has carried that into the 2025/26 season, when available.
If this list included how much we believe every QPR player should be paid, Varane would be near the top. As it happens, he’s toward the bottom.
20Justin Obikwu – £4,000 p/w
We haven’t seen much of Justin Obikwu since he was injured shortly after joining from Coventry.
The 21-year-old appears to be a promising prospect, having impressed in his limited time on the pitch for Lincoln City in the first half of the season. We’ll see if he’s worth what he’s paid when he returns.
19Rumarn Burrell – £5,000 p/w
Rumarn Burrell, who was playing in the Scottish third division just two and a half seasons ago, has been well worth his money this season and is possibly the most important player at Loftus Road right now.
The Jamaican international impressed at Burton Albion last season, but even so, several questioned QPR’s rumored seven-figure fee and an estimated £5,000 per week contract for Burrell and his previous club in the summer.
Not anymore, however, and most Championship supporters will expect him to be offered a better deal sooner rather than later.
18Esquerdinha – £6,500 p/w
While QPR has been rather cautious in awarding contracts to young, unproven talents for the future, in Esquerdinha’s instance, the 19-year-old was given a bit more hope with a higher salary.
During his first half-season at Loftus Road, the left-back was mostly an academy player. However, the former Fluminense player hasn’t had the breakout year that many predicted.
Esquerdinha is yet to secure a starting berth this season, and many at Loftus Road will be looking for more to justify the price they expect to pay him.
17Ilias Chair – £6,923 p/w
Ilias Chair’s time at QPR has had its ups and downs. It is now in the midst of a poor year, missing the majority of the 2025/26 season due to injury and going nine months without scoring between February and November 2025.
This remuneration is similar to a recent “long-term contract” signed by the Moroccan in January 2025, and based on his past seasons, a weekly salary of just under £7,000 would have been a very good reflection of his work.
Many are now hopeful that the 28-year-old can stay fit and recover his greatest form, allowing him to earn more than his expected income.
16Paul Smyth – £7,500 p/w
While Paul Smyth may not have the goal production that many would expect from a wide attacker, he is a popular figure at QPR, which is why he is returning for a second time in 2023, where he has proven to be a reliable alternative.
This season, the 28-year-old has been the epitome of a reliable backup, coming off the bench practically every game and starting when there have been voids in the starting lineup due to injury.
As a result, the Hoops extended his contract until late 2025, and while his place ahead of other stars on this list may be perplexing, it’s more a reflection of their low salaries, as £7,500 isn’t exactly a huge portion of the available budget at Loftus Road.
15Ben Hamer – £7,500 p/w
Ben Hamer, a 38-year-old experienced backup, may be putting in more effort than others in his situation. However, his expertise between the sticks is critical, and QPR were clearly willing to put that over saving any wage money.
Furthermore, Hamer has kept a handful of clean sheets in the few games he has played, implying that he may still have something left in the tank.
14Richard Kone – £7,500 p/w
Richard Kone, the marquee summer addition, completes the £7,500-per-week trio. The Ivorian was eagerly sought after by various Championship clubs this summer, but it was QPR who signed him for an initial £2.75 million.
Kone hasn’t dominated the second tier like he did in League One with Wycombe Wanderers last season, but he’s been a constant threat throughout and, at 22, still has plenty of time to improve.
So far, he has arguably lived up to his predicted weekly pay, and he may likely exceed it in the near future.
13Jimmy Dunne – £8,500 p/w
QPR’s captain recently signed a new contract with the club, which was undoubtedly the first move toward building a team capable of competing for promotion, as the Irishman was by far and away the greatest player at Loftus Road last season.
The 28-year-old has continued to amaze week after week, and he is also establishing himself as one of the division’s finest centre-backs.
As a result, it may surprise you that, despite his estimated weekly income of £8,500, he does not earn more than half of QPR’s players.
12Karamoko Dembélé – £9,000 p/w
When a player joins a Championship club from a top-flight club, they are often paid slightly more than their new teammates, either because of what they earned at their previous club or because the second-tier club believes the new newcomer has potential.
Karamoko Dembélé progressed through the ranks at Celtic before joining Ligue 1 side Brest, indicating a bright start to his career.
The 22-year-old’s potential has yet to be achieved at Loftus Road in 18 months, but he still has plenty of time to develop and demonstrate why he is earning more than some of the more established faces in the dressing room.
11Jake Clarke-Salter – £10,000 p/w
Jake Clarke-Salter, the first of 11 QPR players now predicted to make £10,000 or more per week, has been a crucial part of the Hoops’ backline since joining from Chelsea in 2022, when fit.
Unfortunately, his fitness has failed him miserably lately. After signing this new contract in September 2024, the 28-year-old made only six appearances in the rest of the 2024/25 season and four in the first two-thirds of the current season.
Those appearances, however, all came from the start, indicating that he is still in Julien Stephan’s plans, but he will need to demonstrate more consistency in his availability to justify a £10,000 per week deal.
10Amadou Mbengue – £10,000 p/w
Amadou Mbengue, a new summer signing who spent the previous two seasons in League One with Reading, is also paid £10,000 a week.
However, the 24-year-old is demonstrating why the Royals recruited him to the Championship from Ligue 1 club Metz in 2022.
He’s a popular figure on Loftus Road who isn’t afraid to fling himself around and put his body at risk. With such a high predicted salary, he would have needed to quickly win over the supporters, which he has done admirably.
9Paul Nardi – £12,500 p/w
Paul Nardi was a lock in goal during his rookie season under Marti Cifuentes, but he’s been in and out of the lineup this year and has only played as much as he has owing to Joe Walsh’ injury.
The 31-year-old’s contract, worth an estimated £12,500 per week, is set to expire at the end of the season, and Julien Stephan may be willing to let it run its course in order to free up a large piece of the pay bill.
8Nicolas Madsen – £12,500 p/w
Nicolas Madsen, who earns £12,500 a week, is one player Julien Stephan will not want to lose anytime soon. He has progressed from a squad player to a key player in his second season at Loftus Road.
While he may not be showing his 12-goal season at QPR like he did at Belgian side Westerlo the year before going to the Capital, he is nonetheless contributing key goals from a deeper midfield position.
The Dane is definitely one of the most significant components in Julien Stephan’s system, and he deserves his pay.
7Harvey Vale – £12,500 p/w
Former Chelsea youth player Harvey Vale is still on the same estimated weekly income, despite having struggled with injury in his first full season since joining in January, when it was widely expected that he would not play until the summer.
However, when healthy and available, the 22-year-old has been a starter for the Hoops, contributing modestly to their promising frontline.
The jury is still out on whether he’s worth being the seventh-highest-paid player at Loftus Road right now, but he obviously has the talent to back it up.
6Kwame Poku – £15,000 p/w
Speaking of promising young players who have yet to prove their worth at QPR owing to injuries, Kwame Poku has had a disappointing couple of years. He missed nearly half of last season due to a hamstring injury, and a similar issue has seen him make only eight appearances at Loftus Road.
However, the 24-year-old has been one of the EFL’s brightest stars over the last two seasons, tearing up League One with Peterborough United, which is why QPR immediately made him one of their highest-paid players this summer.
Poku will be an important part of any potential late-season play-off surge between now and May, so Hoops fans will be hoping for a lengthy run with the club soon.
5Ronnie Edwards – £15,000 p/w
QPR knew precisely what they were getting with Ronnie Edwards, having overseen the 22-year-old’s spectacular second half of last season.
They also paid him an estimated £15,000 per week, which was what he was making at Southampton at the time.
Given his potential and the quality he has already shown at Loftus Road, it was a no-brainer to match his expected salaries at St Mary’s when they went in for a permanent transfer this summer.
4Isaac Hayden – £15,000 p/w
Isaac Hayden, who came through the Arsenal youth before spending several years at Newcastle United, will always be paid roughly this much every week. At QPR, this places the 30-year-old in the top four highest earners.
The Jamaican midfielder has yet to unseat Madsen or Varane from the starting lineup this season, and has only began to play more games when the latter sustained an injury.
There’s no denying Hayden’s top-flight expertise, but as a back-up, QPR may be better off exploring for cheaper alternatives shortly, especially as his contract is also slated to expire this summer.
3Koki Saito – £20,000 p/w
Many at QPR, like Edwards before him, knew what to anticipate from Koki Saito, and many Hoops fans expected the Japanese winger to be a loan player who they would become connected to after a fantastic season last year.
However, the move was made permanent in the summer, and while R’s fans were delighted to see him return, watching him become the club’s estimated third-highest earner may have been a bit of a surprise.
The 24-year-old has time to develop, and many at Loftus Road will be pushing for him to show off the £20,000 per week talent that he possesses.
2Rhys Norrington-Davies – £25,000 p/w
Rhys Norrington-Davies is the only loanee in the QPR team, and given that he came from Sheffield United, a Championship club with one of the highest salary bills, it’s no wonder that he’s ranked second.
The Welshman has been a reliable starter for the Hoops this season. In fact, he’s playing more games this year than he has in the previous four Blades seasons combined.
It remains to be seen whether QPR will pursue Norrington-Davies on a permanent basis at the end of the season, but if they do, they will most certainly want to reduce his expected wage.
1Steve Cook – £30,000 p/w
Veteran centre-back Steve Cook is the current highest earner in the QPR dressing room, with the 34-year-old reputed to make £30,000 per week.
Cook has Premier League and top-tier Championship experience with Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest, and his appointment at Loftus Road in 2023 was viewed as a wise move.
However, with him turning 35 in April and his contract ending at the end of the season, QPR may be prudent to attempt to convince him to agree to lower terms, as they look to balance their books a little more and give crucial young players better deals.
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