Mikel Arteta quality shown as Arsenal rank sixth in…

Mikel Arteta quality shown as Arsenal rank sixth in wage bill way behind Man Utd and Chelsea

Premier League leaders Arsenal have the smallest wage bill in the 'big six'.

That is according to the Daily Mirror, who claim the Gunners spend £97,878,000 on wages, which is the sixth most in the division. Given the enormity of what their rivals around them spend, that makes Arsenal's current position in the table all the more impressive.

They sit five points clear at the top of the Premier League with 11 matches to play, despite those around them spending a great deal more on player wages. Manchester City are Arsenal's closest rivals at the top but spend almost double that of their title rivals, forking out £182,640,000, with Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne among their highest earners.

That said, it is their points advantage over Chelsea and Manchester United that is arguably more impressive in the context of each side's respective wage bills. The two transfer market powerhouses spend well over double the amount Arsenal do on wages, with the Blues just about the highest.

On top of over £600 million on transfer fees across the last two windows, Chelsea also shell out £212,090,000 on wages, despite sitting 10th in the Premier League and 29 points behind Arsenal. Man United, meanwhile, spend slightly less than that at £211,875,000, but do have slightly more to show for it this season having won the Carabao Cup, as well as sitting third in the table, but still 16 points adrift of the Gunners.

Arsenal's wage bill in comparison to those around them is all the more evidence of the impressive project Mikel Arteta is building at the Emirates. The Gunners have not spent more than £50 million on a single player under the Spaniard and though progress had been slow and steady up until this season, they are now reaping the rewards of investing smartly in the market.