The 2026/27 Championship season looks to be very fascinating for a number of reasons.
Wolves and West Ham, two recent Premier League regulars, are back in the second division, while Lincoln will play at this level for the first time since 1960.
When you combine some of the country’s fiercest derby games with a new, lengthy play-off structure, there is a lot to look forward to.
Of course, gaining promotion to the Premier League is the ultimate goal, and Hull’s promotion last season demonstrates that the Championship is still one of the most difficult to call in the world.
In pursuit of that ambition, clubs continue to spend vast sums of money, whether on transfer fees or wages.
FLW analyses the top 12 highest-paid center-backs in the league, based on Capology’s projections.
12Japhet Tanganga – £35,000 a week
The former Millwall player was a massive signing for the Blades when he signed, therefore he was always going to command a high wage.
Even though he has been a respectable performance for Sheffield United, Tanganga may not have done enough to justify the price tag, and given their current predicament, they are unlikely to sign players in that range in the future.
11Jack Stephens – £40,000 a week
The Southampton captain has been at the club for 15 years, during which time he has experienced many highs and lows.
With Saints having spent a significant portion of that time in the Premier League, Stephens will have been well compensated, and while these are simply estimations, the south coast club was always going to be one of the top wage spenders at this level.
10Bashir Humphreys – £40,000 a week
The relegated clubs unsurprisingly top this list, albeit these estimations may not necessarily account for any wage cuts that come with dropping into the Championship.
Humphreys has shown himself as a good player at this level with Burnley, and while Nicky Hayen will have his own views about how the club should play, the 23-year-old is anticipated to play a key role.
9Santi Bueno – £40,000 a week
Despite Wolves’ awful season last year, the Uruguayan defender improved his image, but he faces an unclear future this summer due to the sheer quantity of choices Peixoto has in that position.
An estimated weekly wage of £40,000 isn’t much for Wolves to bear this season, but if Bueno isn’t going to play, they may want to offload him before the deadline.
8Joe Worrall – £40,000 a week
Worrall joined Burnley when they were in the Premier League, therefore his wage was bound to be high by Championship standards.
The former Nottingham Forest player hasn’t featured as much as he would like since moving to Turf Moor, and he faces a tough battle to break into Hayen’s starting lineup this season. Burnley, like Bueno, would gladly shift his pay off the books if he was not engaged.
7Nat Phillips – £40,000 a week
This is the first really surprise one on the list, and we will emphasise that these are estimations, but Phillips was a decent purchase for West Brom at the time, and he would have been paid well given his previous experience at Liverpool.
Following a difficult few years, the Baggies have begun to spend more this summer, and a lucrative window means they can enter the new season with confidence.
6Calum Chambers – £45,000 a week
Chambers is also a surprise name on this list of expected salary, because Cardiff were in League. One last season, but his pedigree ensured that the former Arsenal man would always be a high-paid player at the Welsh side.
The 31-year-old played a significant role in Cardiff’s promotion, and Brian Barry-Murphy will undoubtedly want Chambers to have a strong impact on and off the pitch this season.
5Ladislav Krejčí – £45,000 a week
Krejci is another demoted player on the list, having signed for Wolves permanently this summer for more than £20 million after his loan was extended.
So he was always going to be paid well at Championship level, but there are serious uncertainties about Krejci’s future at Molineux after the deadline. If he is, it will be a huge boost for Peixoto, who might play a significant role for the squad this season.
4Konstantinos Mavropanos – £50,000 a week
Mavropanos is one of several West Ham players on this list, indicating the massive salaries they have been paying in the top division throughout the years.
To be fair to Mavropanos, he was a standout performer last season, putting on some strong performances at the back in their struggle for survival. It appears that they will maintain the Greek international, who will be a key player for Nuno this season.
3Jean-Clair Todibo – £80,000 a week
Todibo was another player for whom West Ham paid a high price, and the French international’s arrival was regarded as a coup.
He hasn’t lived up to expectations either, and a summer departure is probable, something both the player and the club will enjoy, and it will undoubtedly save the Hammers money each week.
2Toti Gomes – £80,000 a week
This sum may not include relegation wage decreases, but Wolves, like West Ham, will be large spenders on salaries this season.
Toti Gomes hasn’t justified his role as one of Wolves’ highest paid, despite being a respectable player over the years, but he faces a battle to make the starting lineup this season under new manager Cesar Peixoto.
1Max Kilman – £100,000 a week
It’s no surprise that a West Ham player is at the top of the list, and when the Hammers paid £40 million for Kilman from Wolves a few years ago, he was always going to fetch a big contract.
Again, these are estimations, and the number might be substantially lower if relegation wage cuts are applied, but Kilman was always going to be the highest earning because of that charge.
Kilman’s move to London has not gone as planned, although he has played consistently in pre-season under Nuno Espírito Santo. He hopes to restart his career with West Ham this season.
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