Why Premier League Footballers Invest Heavily in Personal Security.
Premier League footballers earn significant sums of money. According to reports, the average salary of a Premier League player is approximately £60,000 per week, while top earners bring in £400,000 per week or more. For many, security is not a luxury but a necessity, with statistics indicating that players typically allocate 5-10% of their annual salary to personal security (source ONS).
Despite this investment, news headlines regularly feature stories of athletes falling victim to home burglaries, assaults, or vehicle-related incidents. Their predictable schedules, public visibility, and well-documented wealth make them prime targets, not just for personal attacks, but also for crimes involving their families.
Understanding Premier League Salaries
Salaries in the Premier League vary significantly, much like in other industries. Some of the highest earners include:
Kevin De Bruyne – £20.8 million per year - Sun
Erling Haaland – £19.5 million per year - Scottish Sun
In contrast, the average Premier League player earns around £3 million annually. These figures can increase further through endorsements, sponsorship deals, and performance-related bonuses.
Why Footballers Are Prime Targets?
While top footballers may out-earn many CEOs, most Premier League players earn less than the highest-paid FTSE 100 executives, whose median salary exceeds £4 million. However, footballers are often more targeted than CEOs. Why?
Affluent and Highly Visible
Unlike most CEOs, professional footballers are public figures with recognisable faces and luxury lifestyles. Their personal wealth is often publicly documented through transfer fees, media coverage, and brand partnerships.
Predictable Schedules
Matches, training sessions, and international duties create routine, predictable schedules that are easy to track. For criminals, this lowers the risk of failure and increases motivation.
Social Media Exposure
Footballers (and often their families) unintentionally reveal their whereabouts, assets, and routines via social media. Players who monetise platforms further increase their exposure. Criminals leverage this digital footprint as part of the targeting process.
Example: The 2019 robbery attempt on Mesut Özil and Sead Kolašinac highlights the risk of mobile attacks i.e. targeting players on the move.
The Cost of Security – Breaking Down 5-10%
So, what does 5-10% of a footballer’s salary look like in terms of security spend?
Average Premier League player: £150,000 - £300,000 annually
Top earners: £1 million or more annually
This investment can cover various security measures, including:
Close Protection Officers (CPOs): 24/7 personal security professionals,
Residential Security: CCTV, alarms, secure perimeters, and security teams,
Secure Chauffeur Services: Advanced drivers trained in evasive tactics and professional security chauffeurs.
Statistic: Affluent households are 3x more likely to experience burglary.
Real-Life Incidents Driving Security Investment
Several high-profile incidents underscore the need for comprehensive personal security. We have analysed a number of the below in our ‘Lessons in Elite Security posts’:
Mesut Özil & Sead Kolašinac (2019). Attempted armed robbery in London,
Fabinho (2020). Home burglary during a match at Anfield,
Raheem Sterling (2022). Burglary at his home during the World Cup.
These incidents highlight the reality that athletes and their families are viewed as lucrative targets.
Emerging Security Trends for Footballers
While traditional methods like home burglaries remain common, criminal tactics are evolving. In the Özil case, attackers used mopeds, a method prevalent in UK urban robberies.
Key Elite Athlete Trends to Watch:
Social Media Monitoring by criminals to track players’ lives,
Mobile Attacks targeting athletes while travelling or stationary,
OSINT (Open Source Intelligence) used to gather details about homes and patterns of life (PoL).
Advanced Security Technologies
To counter evolving threats, modern security technology plays a vital role in enhancing protection:
AI-Powered Home Security. Advanced surveillance and remote monitoring systems,
Digital Surveillance. Understanding the local digital baseline to identify threat actors,
Cybersecurity. Protection against hacking, doxxing, and identity theft,
Mobile Security Teams. Discreet or overt teams providing on-the-move protection,
Community Security. Dedicated security measures for high-net-worth neighbourhoods.
Countermeasures by BluSkills
At BluSkills, we address these risks through our Understand, Deter, Detect, Disrupt methodology. Our services, rooted in elite forces tactics, include:
Tailored Security Assessments. Personalised risk evaluations for athletes.
Close Protection and Security Chauffeurs. Secure transit for VIPs and families.
Residential Security Audits: Comprehensive assessments and enhancements.
Cyber and Digital Security: Monitoring for digital threats and vulnerabilities.
Community Security: Exclusive security services for affluent neighbourhoods.
Conclusion - Security, a Necessary Investment
The risks faced by Premier League footballers are statistically higher than for average households, driven by wealth, visibility, and predictable routines. Weapons are increasingly involved in crimes against athletes, making proactive security essential to avoid serious injury or loss.
While salaries are high, the cost of being under-protected can be even greater. At BluSkills, we specialise in protecting elite athletes, ensuring peace of mind for both players and their families.
