Mind the gap! You’ll never guess how long it takes a premiership footballer to pay off the average house

Is it time for a career rethink? These shocking stats are envy-inducing...

For many, the prospect of ever affording a home seems unlikely and sometimes even near impossible. As if to highlight this, a recent report by MatchedBets demonstrates just how huge the disparity is between fans and footballers.

With the football season now in full swing, MatchedBets have compiled the average wages of fans of each team and compared them to player earnings to see how long it would take to buy a house near the ground.

stone wall building with multiple windows in england

(Image credit: Zoopla.com)

Manchester United's Paul Pogba could buy an average house in Manchester in less than 1 hours work. In comparison, it takes the average Manchester United fan 1618 days of full-time work to achieve the same. Yes, really!

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As expected, the discrepancy in London is astronomical. It takes Arsenal’s highest-paid player Mesut Ozil, on an average weekly salary of £140,000, 90 minutes to pay off a house, while it would take an Arsenal fan, on an average weekly salary of £663, 6,593,645 minutes to pay off a house in the capital at the value of £607,112.

bridge over river and buildings around

(Image credit: Zoopla.com)

On the lower end of the scale, Burnley fans pay off their houses the quickest at an average time of only 1,896,392 minutes.

You might see some of the results as amusing or depressing, but either way, it sheds a stark light on the growing lifestyle differences between footballers and their fans.

The salaries may be eye-watering, but it's worth remembering that the Premier League is the most watched football division in the world, and club income is accordingly huge thanks to sponsorships and endorsements. (Still unfair!)

Find out how long it will take you to buy a house near your favourite Premier League club here.

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*Average house prices taken from Zoopla.com
*Average player wages taken directly from the associated football club

Deputy Editor

Jennifer is the Deputy Editor (Digital) for Homes & Gardens online. Prior to her current position, she completed various short courses a KLC Design School, and wrote across sister brands Ideal Home, LivingEtc, 25 Beautiful Homes, Country Homes & Interiors, and Style at Home.