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SOME obvious names leap to mind when you think of the highest paid players in Europe.

Kylian Mbappe, Harry Kane, Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland - these are the stars people expect to occupy the top spots.

Kylian Mbappe is by far the highest-paid player in European football
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Kylian Mbappe is by far the highest-paid player in European footballCredit: Getty
Harry Kane is the best-paid footballer after Mbappe
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Harry Kane is the best-paid footballer after MbappeCredit: AP

Mbappe, 25, earns nearly THREE TIMES the next biggest earner in the sport, with the French superstar raking in around £5.15million every month - which equates to £61.8m per year.

He is followed by Bayern striker Kane, 30, whose salary stands at £1.8m - narrowly beating Manchester City duo De Bruyne [1.73m] and Haaland [1.63m] - although Haaland's substantial bonuses are understood to take his wage to around £3.4m per month.

But there are always some surprise players that make up the top 10 best-paid footballers.

One of the biggest culprits for spending too much money on player wages is Manchester United.

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And it is no surprise two Red Devils stars that have underwhelmed at Old Trafford are still on extortionate wages.

Casemiro sits joint-seventh on the list with a salary of £1.52m per month, while Raphael Varane is just behind him in ninth on £1.48m.

And they are not the only shock names on the list.

Real Madrid's David Alaba sits fifth behind the quartet of superstars.

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Kevin De Bruyne is the highest-paid Premier League player
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Kevin De Bruyne is the highest-paid Premier League playerCredit: Reuters
De Bruyne is paid a tad more than team-mate Erling Haaland as a basic salary, but the Norwegian has some huge bonuses in his contract
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De Bruyne is paid a tad more than team-mate Erling Haaland as a basic salary, but the Norwegian has some huge bonuses in his contractCredit: Getty
David Alaba is the top Real Madrid player on the list
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David Alaba is the top Real Madrid player on the listCredit: Kenny Ramsay
Robert Lewandowski is the only Barcelona player to make the top 10
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Robert Lewandowski is the only Barcelona player to make the top 10Credit: Getty

The Austria captain, 31, is a superb talent that can play in midfield or at full-back, but fans will still be surprised to learn he is taking home £1.61m every month.

He is Los Blancos' best-paid player, although Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham [both £1.43m] also make the list in joint-10th.

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Above them, sixth and joint-seventh are taken up by Barcelona No9 Robert Lewandowski [£1.6m] and Liverpool talisman Mo Salah [£1.52m] - who boasts the same wages as Casemiro.

And Lewandowski's team-mate Ilkay Gundogan also creeps into the list in 10th with the same salary as Vinicius and Bellingham - as does Atletico Madrid keeper Jan Oblak.

The highest-paid players in European football
The highest-paid players in European football
Mo Salah sits joint-seventh alongside a Manchester United midfielder
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Mo Salah sits joint-seventh alongside a Manchester United midfielderCredit: Getty
Casemiro is earning a huge amount but has received criticism for his performances this season
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Casemiro is earning a huge amount but has received criticism for his performances this seasonCredit: Reuters
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