39. Damien Duff (Fulham) – £18.5m
Fulham winger Damien Duff turned 34 in early March and has amassed more than 350 league appearances in 17 years as a Premier League player, while also appearing 100 times for Republic of Ireland.
He earns £45,000-a-week in west London with a further £150,000 available in bonuses. He won his 100th and final cap for Republic of Ireland at Euro 2012 before announcing his international retirement.
Prior to signing for Fulham, Duff played for Newcastle United, where he was earning £70,000-a-week. However, with two years left on his contract, he left for an undisclosed sum in 2009 after the Magpies were relegated from the Premier League.
Duff enjoyed a lucrative contract at Chelsea too after signing for a £17 million fee from Blackburn Rovers. At Stamford Bridge he won two Premier League titles in three years before departing for St James’ Park in a £5m transfer.
His company Lightzest showed a ‘net worth’ of £1.1m as of July 2011, while his investments have included properties in London, Ireland, Newcastle and a series of beachfront properties in the Caribbean. Duff’s off-field earnings include a sponsorship deal with Lucozade.
With one eye on a future after hanging up his boots, Duff has teamed up with Ireland rugby union legend Brian O’Driscoll to invest in a sports management company called IKON, with the pair acting as mentors to clients.