Aston Villa's Champions League tilt will send the club's wage barrier through the £50 million mark.
The Sunday Mirror says figures just released show last season's total was £31.5m, 78 per cent of turnover. But the amount is set to soar following a huge spending spree on the likes of Carlos Cuellar, Steve Sidwell, James Milner, Brad Friedel, Nicky Shorey, Luke Young and Emile Heskey. Stars like Sidwell, signed from Chelsea on £48,000-a-week, all penned bumper deals.
And England prospect Ashley Young has recently become the top earner on £56,000-a-week.