How QPR's wage bill compares to the rest of the Championship | OneFootball

Having made a worrying start to the season, FLW evaluates how Queens Park Rangers fare with players' wages compared to the rest of the Championship.

Queens Park Rangers have so far struggled in the first third of the Championship campaign after an underwhelming start to the season.

Despite Martí Cifuentes recruiting 11 signings over the summer, the R's were hampered by the loss of prominent striker Lyndon Dykes to League One high-flyers Birmingham City.

Recruitment in January will therefore be key if the R's wish to avoid a relegation dogfight towards the end of the season.

However, it's the club's ownership will need to put their hands in their pocket to entice new players to Loftus Road.

According to Capology, QPR's estimated wage bill is among the lowest in the division, with only a couple of clubs spending less on their players' wages.

Here, we take a look at the numbers behind the club's wage information and how they stack up to their Championship opponents.

Queens Park Rangers' wage bill

Capology states QPR's total weekly wages for the 2024/25 season is an estimated £208,462, with an average player earning £8,018.

Their highest-paid player is alleged to be centre-back Steve Cook, who was voted last season's Player of the Year after signing from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2023. His wage is listed as an estimated £30,000 per week.

Nine players, including Cook, are said to earn more than £10,000 per week. This includes the likes of Danish midfielder Nicolas Madsen (£12,500 per week) and Scottish right-back Harrison Ashby (£10,000 per week), both of whom were recruited by the R's in the summer. Their top scorer this season, Switzerland's Michael Frey, allegedly earns £15,000 per week.

The wage bills of clubs around them

Capology's data shows QPR's total weekly payroll is the third-lowest in the division, with only Plymouth Argyle (£172,800) and newly promoted Portsmouth (£138,500) estimated to have lower figures.

Over half of the Championship teams are said to have total payrolls of less than £300,000 per week, but of the promoted teams from last year, only Pompey has a lower estimated figure than QPR. Oxford United's weekly figure is predicted to be £211,115, while Derby County's is £235,846.

Surprisingly, Capology says Luton Town have the fifth-highest weekly wages in the entire division, despite their current proximity to the R's in the league. The Hatters' estimated weekly figure of £424,500 is more than double that of QPR's, yet the Shepherd's Bush-based club were victorious in both their league meeting and Carabao Cup clash earlier this season.

The Championship's big paydays

Leeds United are estimated to have the highest total weekly payroll with £708,000. Capology estimates their average weekly salary at £30,783 and four of the Championship's five highest-paid permanent players are on the Whites' books. This includes Patrick Bamford, whose estimated wage of £70,000 per week is the highest for any permanent signing in the division.

Ony Mason Holgate, who currently plays for West Brom on loan from Liverpool, matches Bamford's weekly wages.

The Whites' total weekly wages is over £100,000 more than Burnley, the next team on the list. The Clarets' total weekly wages reportedly stands at £596,000, with Scott Parker's players estimated to individually earn an average of £20,552 per week. Josh Brownhill (£45,000 per week), Jay Rodriguez and Josh Cullen (both £40,000 per week) are their biggest earners.

A quarter of the Championship clubs are said to have a total wage above £500,000 per week. This includes Sheffield United and the previously-mentioned Luton Town, who were relegated alongside Burnley from the Premier League last season.

What this means for QPR going forward

Although it would be a tall order for the R's to compete with the likes of Leeds United and Burnley when it comes to signing players, their wage budget is very similar to teams around them in the league (with the exception of Luton Town).

When the January transfer window opens, QPR will need to offer competitive wages if they wish to secure their transfer targets and stop them from signing for league rivals instead.